THE  LIBRARY 


OF 


THE 


OF 


LOS 


UNIVERSITY 
CALIFORNIA 
ANGELES 


HER  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN. 


A    NOVEL. 


BY 


JOHN    ESTEN    COOKE, 

AUTHOR  OF  "DOCTOR  VANDYKE,"  "SURRY  OF  EAGLE'S  NEST,"  "THE  VIR 
GINIA  COMEDIANS,"   ETC. 


PHILADELPH I A: 

J.   B.   LIPPINCOTT    &    CO. 

1873- 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1873,  b 

J.    B.    LIPPINCOTT    &    CO., 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


LIPPINCOTT'S    PRESS, 
PHILADELPHIA. 


.  .• 


CONTENTS. 


BOOK    I. 

0j         CHAPTER  PAGE 

£j               I.— Cecil  Court 5 

II. — My  Adventure  at  Wendover u 

III. — The  Lady  of  Wendover  again 14 

IV. — How  Harry  had  come  to  drive  a  Coach  all  the  Way  to 

-   Scotland...,. 19 

— '                V. — I  enter  the  Queen's  Guards 24 

VI. — Horses  for  France 27 

VII. — What  took  place  by  Moonlight  in  Oatlands  Park 31 

*\»         VIII. — What  a  Pie  contained 36 

"uj            IX. — I  go  to  Rosemary  Lane,  and  meet  with  an  Ugly  Ad 
venture 39 

X. — A  Terrible  Personage 44 

XI. — The  Cavalier  in  Purple  Velvet 50 

XII.— The  Little  Queen 53 

XIII. — My  Traveling-Companion 57 

8         XIV. — I  make  the  Acquaintance  of  Mr.  Cromwell 62 

XV.— A  Combat  by  Moonlight 65 

XVI. — Sir  Theodore  Mayherne 70 

XVII. — I  visit  a  Gentleman  afterwards  famous  throughout  the 

World 72 

XVIII. — A  Moonlight  Colloquy,  and  what  followed  it 78 

£"j          XIX. — The  Sting  of  an  Insect 83 

Jjj           XX.— Good-by,  Sweet-heart! 90 

XXI. — How  I  was  compelled  for  a  Time  to  take  no  further 

Part  in  Public  Affairs 95 

XXII.— The  Portrait  of  Strafford 100 

XXIII.— I  return  to  Cecil  Court 105 

(iii) 


• 


iv  CONTENTS. 


BOOK    II. 

CHAPTER  PAGB 

I. — Dreams  at  Cecil  Court 109 

II.— A  Friend  of  the  King 114 

III. — A  Friend  of  the  Parliament 117 

IV. — A  Young  Gentleman  without   Opinions   of  any   Con 
sequence 122 

V. — I  am  conducted  before  Prince  Rupert 128 

VI. — Swords  and  Plumes  at  Cecil  Court 135 

VII.— Brothers 141 

VIII. — I  visit  the  Hague 144 

IX.— A  Good  Wife 147 

X.— My  Fate 151 


BOOK    III. 

I. — The  Adventures  of  a  Queen 155 

II. — A  Female  General ; 160 

III. — Harry  and  1 167 

IV. — I  go  with  Lord  Falkland  to  his  House  of  Great  Tew 173 

V. — The  Last  Greeting 178 

VI. — Chalgrove 181 

VII.— Newbury 188 

VIII. — I  meet  with  an  Old  Acquaintance  in  Disguise 194 

IX. — Angel  and  Pigmy 199 


BOOK    IV. 

I. — Bedford  House  in  Exeter 204 

II. — I  am  sent  with  a  Flag  to  Lord  Essex 211 

III. — Lord  Essex 213 

IV.— The  Fate  of  a  Queen 218 

V. — The  Courage  of  a  Woman 227 

VI. — My  Promise 232 

VII.— The  Last  Hope  of  the  King  and  of  the  Cecils 237 


CONTENTS.  V 

CHAPTER  PACK 

VIII.— Back  to  Cecil  Court 242 

IX. — I  go  to  Charlecote  and  meet  with  an  Adventure 244 

X. — The  Flight  from  Charlecote 249 

XI. — On  the  Highway 256 

XII. — My  Parting  with  Frances  Villiers 259 


BOOK  V. 

I. — On  the  Bridge  near  Holmby  House 262 

II. — Tailor  turned  Soldier 265 

III. — The  Escape  from  Hampton  Court 268 

IV. — Carisbrooke  Castle 275 

V. — Eikon  Basilike 278 

VI.— The  Plan  of  Escape 281 

VII.— The  Hour  at  Last 285 

VIII. — The  Scene  at  Westminster  Hall 290 

IX. — The  Hammering 298 

X. — The  Walk  to  Whitehall 303 

XI. — The  Execution 308 

XII. — So  went  the  King  white  to  his  Grave 312 

XIII.— An  Old  Cavalier  of  the  King 315 

XIV. — The  House  beside  the  Highway 319 

XV. — Home  Again 322 

XVI. — A  Friend  in  Need,  and  Indeed 323 

X  VI L— Virginia 328 


BOOK    I. 


I. 

CECIL   COURT. 

MY  life  has  been  so  restless  and  adventurous  that  I 
go  back  with  delight  to  my  early  years,  spent  at  the 
old  home  of  my  family  in  Warwickshire,  England. 

Cecil  Court  was  a  peaceful,  charming  old  place,  on 
the  banks  of  the  Avon,  low-pitched,  built  of  brick, 
with  Elizabethan  windows,  a  flower-decorated  terrace, 
and  approached  by  a  broad  avenue  overshadowed  by 
lofty  elms.  You  entered  a  large  hall  running  from  front 
to  rear,  with  a  winding  staircase  on  the  right,  the  balus 
trade,  like  the  wainscoting,  of  heavy  oak,  carved  and 
darkened  by  age.  On  the  right  was  the  sitting-room, 
with  polished  oak  floor,  tall-backed  chairs,  a  wide  fire 
place  with  huge  old  andirons,  a  tall  mantelpiece,  and 
a  dozen  portraits  on  the  walls.  This  apartment  was, 
properly  speaking,  the  dining-room,  the  drawing-rooms 
occupying  the  opposite  wing,  but  in  progress  of  time 
it  had  come  to  be  used  as  the  sitting-room,  and  our  old 
neighbors  invariably  went  thither  unannounced  to  find 
my  father.  On  the  second  floor  were  the  chambers, 

(7) 


8  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

which  were  numerous  and  furnished  in  the  style  of  the 
reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 

The  family  estate  was  by  no  means  large,  consisting 
indeed  of  but  a  few  hundreds  of  acres,  cultivated  by 
two  or  three  old  tenants,  grown  gray-headed  on  the 
place.  My  father  had  never  given  his  assent,  however, 
to  any  diminution  of  the  size  of  the  old  Cecil  Court 
park, — an  extensive  chase  of  the  freshest  and  greenest 
turf,  dotted  with  century  oaks,  beneath  which  the  cattle 
grazed  undisturbed,  and  a  few  deer  wandered,  tame 
and  confiding.  Seen  from  a  distance,  through  the 
waving  foliage  of  its  great  trees,  Cecil  Court  was  a 
peaceful  and  attractive  picture.  On  the  right,  beyond 
a  green  hillock,  gleamed  the  still  waters  of  a  pond  and 
the  dancing  waves  of  a  little  stream.  The  sylvan 
scene  was  calm  and  friendly,  and  you  would  have  said 
that  life  here  was  as  tranquil  and  serene  as  the  slow 
movement  of  the  white  clouds  floating  over  the  blue 
sky. 

Our  household  was  small,  consisting  only  of  my 
father,  my  elder  brother  Harry,  my  younger  sister 
Cicely,  an  old  housekeeper,  and  a  few  old  servants, 
whose  heads  had  turned  white  in  the  service  of  the 
family,  and  who  performed  their  duties  with  the  regu 
larity  and  more  than  the  silence  of  machines.  I  often 
think  now  that  a  large  part  of  the  happiness  of  human 
beings  depends  upon  the  possession  of  such  silent  old 
household  attendants.  Never  a  word  was  uttered  nor 
an  order  given.  Comfort,  kindness,  and  silence  reigned, 
and  the  exact  wine  my  father  wished  was  placed  at  his 
elbow,  without  a  word  addressed  to  the  old  major- 
domo  waiting,  calm  and  silent,  behind  his  chair. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  9 

Do  not  fancy  from  this  picture,  worthy  reader,  that 
the  Cecils  were  very  well-to-do  in  the  world.  We 
had  barely  enough ;  and  although  the  country-people 
called  my  father  "  the  Squire,"  and  took  off  their  hats 
to  him  with  the  profoundest  deference,  that  was  more 
a  tribute  to  his  kindly  nature,  which  made  all  love  him, 
than  to  his  possessions.  The  estate  had  once  been 
very  large,  but  had  dwindled  away.  Still,  we  had 
enough  to  live  upon  as  gentlefolks,  and  my  father's 
fondness  for  reading  and  study  caused  him  to  forget 
the  narrowness  of  his  fortunes.  He  was  a  very  tall 
and  distinguished-looking  person,  with  long  gray  hair, 
which  he  powdered  and  tied  with  a  ribbon,  a  broad 
and  lofty  forehead,  blue  eyes  full  of  candor  and  sim 
plicity,  and  lips  wearing  habitually  a  smile  of  great 
sweetness.  His  dress  was  plain,  but  about  his  whole 
appearance  there  was  an  air  of  grace  and  distinction 
which  never  changed.  His  manner  was  the  same  to  a 
peer  of  the  realm  and  to  a  plowman, — his  bow  to  the 
last  as  courteous  as  to  the  first.  In  a  word,  good 
reader,  my  father  was  a  gentleman  of  extreme  pride, 
simplicity,  and  naturalness, — thought  himself,  I  dare 
say,  as  good  as  the  peer,  and  perhaps  in  many  things 
no  better  than  the  plowman. 

I  do  not  remember  my  dear  mother,  who  died  in  my 
infancy,  taking  away  with  her,  people  said,  much  of 
the  sunshine  of  my  father's  life, — for  to  the  last  they 
were  more  like  young  lovers  than  old  married  people. 
For  her,  my  father  kept  his  courtliest  bows  and  his 
sweetest  smiles.  The  great  aim  of  his  life  seemed  to 
be  to  make  her  happy ;  and  when  she  died,  the  old 
neighbors  said  that  he  went  about  as  though  he  had 


10  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

lost  something  without  which  he  could  not  live.  This, 
however,  was  before  my  time,  and  when  I  first  remem 
ber  him  my  father  had  regained  his  calmness,  at  least. 
His  smile  was  full  of  sadness,  but  of  great  sweetness 
too,  as  I  have  said.  Once  I  found  him  in  tears,  gazing 
at  a  withered  flower  my  dear  mother  had  given  him 
upon  their  wedding-day ;  but  such  evidences  of  emo 
tion  were  infrequent.  I  recall  him  now,  most  clearly, 
sitting  in  his  great  arm-chair,  reading  a  folio  contain 
ing  the  dramas  of  his  friend  and  neighbor  Mr.  Shak- 
speare,  whom  he  knew  in  his  own  younger  days,  and 
esteemed  highly. 

A  few  words  will  introduce  my  brother  Harry  and 
my  sister  Cicely.  Harry  was  a  year  or  two  my  senior, 
a  brave,  handsome  youth,  full  of  sunshine  and  gayety, 
who  had  hunted  every  fox  in  the  county  from  his  boy 
hood,  and  ended  by  entering  that  select  company  of 
young  gentlemen,  the  Queen's  Guardsmen,  at  Hamp 
ton  Court.  In  doing  so,  he  had  consulted  both  his  own 
wishes  and  his  love  for  me.  The  revenues  of  Cecil 
Court  were  insufficient  to  send  us  both  to  Oxford,  and, 
as  I  was  destined  for  the  law,  Harry  declared  that  I 
should  go,  he  becoming  a  guardsman.  I  accordingly 
went  to  Oxford,  and  Harry  to  London, — I  became  a 
fellow-commoner  of  Baliol  College,  and  he  a  gay 
young  gallant.  When  this  history  opens,  I  had  just 
returned  to  Cecil  Court,  and  Harry  was  in  the  Guards. 

Of  Cicely,  my  little  sister,  I  shall  say  nothing  at 
this  time,  and  scarce  more  of  that  important  person 
age,  the  writer  of  these  memoirs.  The  said  gentle 
man,  Edmund  Cecil  by  name,  was  a  country  youth 
who  fancied  himself  a  great  philosopher;  liberal  in 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  n 

politics,  but  a  monarchist  for  all  that,  and  by  no  means 
pleased  with  the  near  prospect  of  becoming  a  denizen 
of  the  Inns  of  Court  at  London.  It  would  have 
pleased  him  far  better  to  have  remained  at  Cecil  Court 
in  idleness, — reading,  dreaming,  wandering  about  the 
old  park,  and  shaping  cloud-castles  for  his  own  enter 
tainment.  He  was,  in  truth,  a  most  useless  and  in 
capable  person,  content  to  let  the  current  waft  him, 
without  using  his  oars,  and  asking  only  silence  and 
liberty  to  peruse  the  pages  of  Mr.  William  Shakspeare, 
for  whom  he  had  inherited  his  father's  fondness. 

Such  a  life  was  impossible,  however ;  and  one  day 
my  father  informed  me  that  he  had  made  every  arrange 
ment  for  my  entrance  at  the  Inns  of  Court.  My  lodg 
ings  had  been  engaged  in  Essex  Court,  with  young 
Master  John  Evelyn,  and  nothing  now  prevented  me 
from  commencing  the  study  of  my  future  profession. 

"  'Tis  the  best  career  I  can  think  of  for  my  boy," 
my  father  said,  with  his  sweet  smile,  now  filled  with 
tenderness.  "  Cecil  Court  goes  to  Harry,  but  per 
chance  you  will  be  Chief  Justice  some  day,  my  son. 
So  take  the  old  sword  yonder, — every  gentleman 
should  wear  a  sword, — the  best  horse  in  the  stable,  and 
Dick  the  hostler  will  ride  with  you  to  London." 

My  heart  sank  at  the  very  phrase  "  Inns  of  Court," 
but  there  was  some  consolation  in  that  magical  word 
"London." 

"  I  will  be  ready  at  daylight,  sir,"  I  said,  taking  my 
father's  hand  and  kissing  it. 

"That  is  well,  my  boy;  and  I  need  give  you  few 
counsels.  Be  a  good  man,  my  dear ;  be  honest  and 
true.  Study  hard ;  for  remember  'tis  the  educated  brain 
A* 


I2  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

that  rules  the  world.  Avoid  as  far  as  possible  the 
political  commotions  just  beginning;  for  neither  on 
the  king's  side  nor  the  parliament's  is  the  full  right. 
The  Cecils  must  be  of  the  royal  party,  if  the  issue 
comes;  but  his  majesty  construes  his  prerogative  far 
too  liberally  for  my  views.  With  him  you  must  side 
nevertheless,  if  honor  will  let  you,  and  you  side  with 
either.  But  remember  that  the  Cecil  honor  is  above 
and  before  all, — even  that  of  the  king,  who  is,  after 
all,  but  the  first  gentleman  of  his  kingdom." 

My  father  stopped,  and  laid  his  hand  upon  my 
head. 

"  God  bless  my  boy  !"  he  said,  in  a  faltering  voice; 
and,  turning  away,  he  went  out  of  the  room,  leaving  me 
in  tears. 

At  daylight  I  set  out  for  London.  The  whole  house 
hold  had  assembled  to  bid  me  good-by,  and  the  old 
servants  uttered  many  earnest  blessings,  for  in  their 
eyes  I  was  yet  but  a  child.  Then  my  father  pressed 
my  hand  closely,  Cicely  put  her  arms  around  my  neck 
and  kissed  me,  her  face  wet  with  tears,  I  mounted, 
waved  my  hand,  and,  followed  by  joyous  Dick  the 
hostler,  went  forth  into  the  future. 

My  father  stood  on  the  old  porch  until  I  was  out  of 
sight.  Reaching  an  eminence  distant  half  a  mile  from 
the  hall,  it  again  appeared,  and  my  dear  father  was 
standing  there  still.  My  heart  went  back  to  him,  and 
to  all  the  familiar  localities  I  was  bidding  farewell  to. 
With  something  strange  in  my  throat  which  seemed 
about  to  choke  me,  I  gazed  long  from  the  hill  on  the 
fields  and  forests  of  my  childhood ;  then,  turning  my 
horse's  head,  I  set  forward  at  a  gallop, — Dick  the 


HER   MAJESTY  7"HE    QUEEN.  j-j 

hostler  made  his  best  effort  to  keep  up  with  me, — and 
Cecil  Court  disappeared  from  my  eyes. 

I  was  afloat  upon  the  surge  of  that  ocean  which  is 
called  the  great  world. 


II. 

MY   ADVENTURE   AT   WENDOVER. 

As  though  to  indicate  the  adventurous  character  of 
the  career  I  was  to  run,  a  singular  incident  befell  me 
on  this  the  first  day  of  my  journey. 

But  first  I  will  attempt,  reader,  to  present  you  with 
an  outline  of  myself  as  I  thus  went  forth  from  the 
family  nest, — a  callow  fledgeling,  scarce  winged  as  yet, 
— gazing  around  me  eagerly  on  the  fertile  lands,  on 
the  old  minsters  and  castles,  and  the  fields  so  soon  to 
be  trampled. 

The  Edmund  Cecil  who  thus  rode  to  seek  his  for 
tune,  was  a  youth  of  twenty-three,  slight,  active,  with 
brown  eyes,  and  hair  of  the  same  color ;  and  he  wore 
a  dark  cloth  riding-habit,  chamois  boots,  a  hat  with  a 
black  feather,  and  the  old  family  sword  clattering 
against  his  hunting-spurs.  A  downy  mustache  and 
royale,  after  the  fashion  of  the  time,  set  off  the  face, — 
a  face  in  which,  I  think,  hope  and  happiness  must  have 
shone ;  for  the  youth  found  something  charming  in  the 
idea  of  London,  whither  he  was  going,  and  bestrode 
with  delight  his  favorite  hunter  from  the  Cecil  Court 
stables.  There  were  not  many  there  now ;  the  Cecils 
were  poor ;  but  what  was  poverty  to  the  young  knight- 

2 


I4  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

errant?  Youth  was  stronger, — youth,  the  source  of 
nearly  every  joy ;  to  return  to  which  to-day,  when  my 
pulse  rarely  throbs,  I  would  give  all  the  experience 
and  wisdom  I  have  since  acquired  !  Experience  ? 
Wisdom  ?  The  tints  of  autumn  are  charming,  and  the 
sunset  is  of  solemn  beauty ;  but  spring  is  sweeter  than 
autumn,  the  dawn  fresher  than  evening !  My  old  age 
is  happy,  and  I  am  content  with  it.  But  oh  for  the 
curls  and  roses,  the  eye  and  pulse,  of  twenty  ! 

I  passed  Aylesbury,  in  Buckinghamshire,  and  slept  at 
the  Cat  and  Bagpipes,  an  inn  in  the  small  town  of  Wen- 
dover.  I  had  just  descended  at  sunrise,  and  was  about 
to  resume  my  journey,  when  a  traveling-carriage,  com 
ing  from  the  north  and  drawn  by  four  spirited  horses, 
rattled  up  to  the  door,  and  through  the  window  I 
caught  sight  of  an  exquisite  face.  It  was  that  of  a 
young  lady  apparently  about  twenty,  her  counte 
nance  half  concealed  by  a  cloak  and  hood.  I  could 
still  discern  its  outlines,  however;  and  its  rare  beauty 
was  unmistakable.  The  cheeks  were  rosy,  the  eyes 
large  and  earnest,  the  lips  mild  and  full  of  a  charming 
innocence  and  sweetness.  Such  was  the  occupant  of 
the  coach, — a  woman,  evidently  her  attendant,  being 
the  sole  other  person  visible. 

The  coach  stopped,  and  the  driver  leaped  down. 

"  Fresh  horses  for  London  !"  he  cried  to  the  portly 
landlord,  who  had  hastened  out. 

At  the  sound  of  that  voice  I  started,  and  my  whole 
attention  was  now  concentrated  upon  the  speaker.  He 
was  a  mere  coachman,  at  least  in  costume, — huge  over 
all,  plain  beaver,  a  handkerchief  bundled  around  his 
throat,  and  heavy  top-boots.  I  went  closer,  and  looked 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  15 

under  the  low  hat.  The  coachman  was  my  brother 
Harry,  of  the  Queen's  Guardsmen  ! 

Our  eyes  met,  and  he  turned  quickly,  endeavoring 
to  conceal  his  face.  I  began  to  laugh,  and  called  out, — 

"Don't  you  know  me,  Harry?" 

Thereat  the  supposed  coachman  turned,  and  whis 
pered, — 

"  'Ware  hawks,  Ned ! — on  secret  service  for  her 
majesty  ! ' ' 

He  said  no  more;  but  went  to  the  coach  and  seemed 
to  propose  that  the  young  lady  should  breakfast  therein  ; 
for,  in  compliance  with  a  rapid  order,  food  was  brought, 
and  she  ate  hastily. 

Meanwhile  fresh  horses  were  rapidly  attached ; 
the  postilion  mounted ;  Harry  cracked  his  whip  with 
the  air  of  a  born  Jehu,  and  the  carriage  set  off,  the 
horses  going  at  a  gallop. 

Harry  had  carefully  avoided  a  private  interview.  He 
had  simply  whispered,  in  passing  me, — 

"  I  will  see  you  in  London." 

Ten  minutes  afterwards,  the  carriage  had  disappeared 
over  the  crest  of  a  hill,  leaving  me  standing  in  the 
middle  of  the  street  gazing  after  it. 

I  hastened  to  follow ;  but  it  was  half  an  hour  before 
I  got  to  saddle.  I  then  rode  on  rapidly,  but  did  not 
catch  up  with  the  carriage.  It  had  disappeared  like 
a  dream, — a  visionary  equipage  drawn  by  phantom 
horses. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


III. 

THE   LADY   OF   WENDOVER    AGAIN. 

LONDON  was  visible,  as  I  approached,  from  a  great 
distance,  with  its  canopy  of  smoke ;  and  I  cantered 
gayly  into  the  famous  city,  making  my  way,  after  in 
quiries  of  wayfarers,  towards  Essex  Court,  where  my 
lodgings  had  been  engaged. 

In  front  of  the  jpalace  of  Whitehall,  with  which  I 
was  familiar  from  one  other  visit  in  my  boyhood  to 
London,  a  very  great  crowd  had  assembled.  So  dense 
was  the  mass  of  human  beings  that  I  pushed  my  horse 
through  it  with  difficulty,  followed  by  Dick  the  hostler ; 
and  the  appearance  of  this  crowd  was  singular.  It  con 
sisted,  apparently,  of  apprentices  of  the  various  trades 
in  the  City,  their  hair  cut  extremely  short;  and  almost 
all  carried  in  their  hands  staves  upon  which  were  plac 
ards  bearing  the  word  "  Liberty."  The  great  mass  of 
human  beings  uttered  vociferous  cries,  and  kept  their 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  palace,  in  front  of  which  I  now 
saw  a  long  row  of  carriages  drawn  up,  with  the  royal 
arms  upon  the  panels. 

"What  is  the  cause  of  this  excitement,  sir?"  I  said 
to  a  burly  individual  standing  near  me. 

"The  tyrant  is  about  to  fly  with  his  family,  and  we 
are  come  to  stop  him,"  was  the  stern  reply. 

"The  tyrant,  sir?"  I  said. 

"Others  call  him  Charles  the  First  of  England." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  1>j 

"Good  heavens,  sir!"  I  exclaimed,  "  'tis  not  possi 
ble  that  violence  is  meant  by  his  majesty's  faithful 
subjects  to  his  person  and  his  family  !" 

My  interlocutor  looked  fixedly  at  me,  and,  tightening 
the  grasp  on  his  stick,  was  apparently  about  to  take 
the  offensive,  when  a  great  wave  bore  him  ten  feet  from 
me.  A  hand  caught  my  bridle,  and  my  horse  was 
thrown  on  his  haunches.  A  moment  afterwards,  hoof- 
strokes  were  heard  :  a  detachment  of  the  king's  body 
guard  pushed  their  horses  through  the  crowd,  the 
procession  of  coaches  filled  with  ladies  followed,  and 
another  detachment  brought  up  the  rear. 

I  had  been  swept  away,  still  on  horseback,  by  the 
great  wave,  and  was  looking  at  the  carriages,  when  I 
recognized  in  one  of  them  the  face  of  the  young  lady 
whom  I  had  encountered  at  Wendover.  She  was  clad 
in  velvet  and  laces  now,  and  was  even  more  beautiful. 
I  was  gazing  at  the  calm,  proud  face,  conscious  of  little 
save  her  very  great  loveliness,  when  a  man  rushed  up 
to  the  coach, — it  was  my  burly  friend  with  the  staff, — 
thrust  the  "Liberty"  placard  into  the  young  lady's 
face,  and  uttered  some  words  apparently  of  insult ;  for 
the  calm  face  quickly  flushed.  This  proceeding  enraged 
me ;  and,  leaping  to  the  ground,  I  grasped  the  person 
guilty  of  this  indignity  by  one  of  his  ears,  dragging 
him  violently  back.  He  uttered  a  yell  of  anger  at  this 
unceremonious  assault,  turned,  and  caught  me  by  the 
throat ;  and,  although  I  had  drawn  and  directed  my 
sword's  point  towards  his  breast,  I  was  about  to  be 
dragged  down  and  trampled  under  foot  by  the  crowd, 
when  a  voice  near  me  cried, — 

"  Hold  hard,  Ned  {     We  are  coming." 

2* 


!8  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

It  was  the  voice  of  Harry,  who  rode  at  the  head  of 
the  detachment  of  horse  in  rear. 

"You  will  please  allow  me  to  pass,  good  people," 
he  said,  in  his  loud,  hearty  voice.  "I  don't  want  to 
ride  against  anybody;  and,  as  this  gentleman  is  my 
brother " 

He  pushed  at  my  big  opponent,  struck  him  with  his 
horse's  chest,  and  drew  me,  hot  and  furious,  towards  him. 

"  'Ware  hawks,  Ned  !"  he  said,  laughing.  "  There's 
Dick  brandishing  his  arms  and  holding  your  horse. 
Mount,  and  fall  in  with  the  Guards !  or  I  think  these 
worthies  will  eat  you  up  ! " 

Dick  had  pushed  through  and  reached  my  side,  still 
clinging  to  my  horse's  bridle.  I  threw  myself  into  the 
saddle,  and  took  my  place  in  the  line, — Dick  imitating 
me.  No  further  violence  was  offered  any  one  ;  and  an 
hour  afterwards  the  procession  of  coaches,  containing, 
as  I  now  ascertained,  the  queen,  the  royal  family,  and 
maids  of  honor,  issued  from  London. 

Then  I  saw  rising  before  me  the  imposing  walls  of 
Hampton  Court ;  the  procession  passed  through  the 
park ;  the  Guards  were  drawn  up  in  a  double  line,  and 
between  these  walls  of  silk,  plumes,  and  steel,  the  queen 
and  the  rest  entered  the  palace. 

I  was  looking  with  interest  and  admiration  upon  the 
bevy  of  beautiful  young  ladies  as  they  passed  in  and 
disappeared,  when  the  voice  of  Harry  beside  me  said, — 
"What  was  the  trouble  about  yonder,  Ned?" 
I  told  him  all. 

"  Oho  !    Well,  that's  like  a  Cecil  !    And  it  was  the 
fair  Miss  Frances  Villiers  whose  knight  you  became," 
"  Is  her  name  Frances  Villiers?" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  19 

"  Yes  ;  her  Majesty's  favorite  maid  of  honor." 

"  Well,  I  think  I  did  right,  Harry " 

"  You  won  the  right  to  enter  the  guards  of  her 
majesty;  and  I'll  apply  for  your  appointment  before 
I  sleep,  Ned.  Come  on  !  follow  me  to  the  guard 
room." 


IV. 


HOW   HARRY   HAD    COME   TO    DRIVE   A   COACH   ALL    THE 
WAY   TO   SCOTLAND. 

THE  guard-room  at  Hampton  Court  was  an  apart 
ment  of  large  extent,  with  tables  against  the  wall  be 
neath  the  tall  windows,  and  around  these  tables  a 
number  of  the  gay  young  gallants  of  the  Guards  were 
already  engaged  at  dice, — laughing,  jesting,  and  ex 
changing  comments  on  the  events  of  the  morning. 

Harry  had  just  made  me  acquainted  with  some  of 
his  friends, — and  I  could  see  at  a  glance  that  he  was  a 
favorite  with  the  mercurial  young  gentlemen  of  the 
Guards, — when  an  usher  entered,  glided  to  him,  and 
spoke  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Wait  here,  Ned,"  he  said.  "  I  am  sent  for."  And 
taking  his  gray  beaver,  with  its  floating  plume,  he 
followed  the  usher. 

He  was  absent  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  during  which 
time  the  guard-room  resounded  with  jests,  laughter,  the 
rattle  of  dice,  and  the  clatter  of  flagons  on  the  tables. 
I  was  gazing  at  this  animated  scene,  when  Harry  touched 


20  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

me  on  the  shoulder,  made  a  sign  to  me  to  follow  him, 
and,  leading  the  way,  conducted  me  through  a  long 
corridor  to  the  left  wing  of  the  palace. 

"You  are  about  to  enjoy  the  satisfaction  of  being 
thanked  for  your  chivalric  gallantry,  Ned,  by  the 
prettiest  pair  of  lips  at  the  court  of  England,"  said 
my  brother,  laughing.  "  Come  on !  Be  firm,  but 
determined ;  modest,  but  devoted  !" 

And,  still  with  his  gay  laugh,  Harry  opened  a  door, 
beyond  which,  in  a  small  but  richly-decorated  apart 
ment,  I  saw  seated  the  young  lady  of  the  inn  at 
Wendover. 

"  I  have  the  honor  of  presenting  my  brother  Edmund, 
Miss  Villiers,"  Harry  said,  bowing  low,  with  his  plume 
trailing  on  the  floor.  "  He  begs  to  assure  you  of  his 
very  profound  respect. ' '  And  Harry  discreetly  fell  back. 

The  young  lady  inclined  her  head  graciously,  in  re 
sponse  to  my  low  bow,  and  I  observed  in  her  bearing 
the  same  air  of  calmness  and  repose.  Nothing  seemed 
to  shake  this  singular  serenity. 

"I  fear  you  make  quite  a  court  ceremony  of  this 
interview  with  a  simple  maid  of  honor,  Mr.  Cecil," 
she  said  to  Harry ;  and  it  is  impossible  to  conceive 
anything  sweeter  and  calmer  than  the  accents  of  her 
voice.  Raising  her  great,  limpid  eyes  to  my  face,  she 
added,  "Mr.  Cecil  has  informed  me  that  it  was  your 
self  to  whom  I  was  indebted  for  assistance  to-day,  sir ; 
and  I  thank  you  sincerely." 

The  beautiful  girl  abashed  me.  I  could  only  bow 
low  again,  when  Harry's  gay  voice  interposed. 

"  Ned  is  overcome,  Miss  Villiers.  In  a  word,  accept 
the  devotion  of  the  Cecil  family  at  large ;  and  should 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  2l 

you  kindly  take  us  under  your  ladyship's  protection, 
secure  my  brother's  appointment  to  a  place  in  the 
Guards." 

I  could  not  protest  that  I  was  about  to  become 
one  of  the  long-robe  fraternity, — to  be  frank,  I  was 
quite  ashamed  of  the  fact, — and,  with  a  throb  of  satis 
faction,  remained  silent. 

"Mr.  Cecil  wishes  an  appointment?"  said  Miss 
Villiers.  "  I  am  sure  he  may  secure  that." 

"He  is  discreet  as  well  as  brave,"  Harry  said, 
quietly.  "  He  saw  and  recognized  me  at  Wendover. " 

The  young  lady  turned  her  head  quickly,  and  a 
slight  color  came  to  her  face. 

"  I  am  sorry,  sir,"  she  said,  somewhat  stiffly.  "  I  had 
hoped " 

"That  no  one  save  myself  and  her  majesty  was 
informed  of  that  escapade  ?  But  think,  Miss  Villiers,  I 
alone  was  to  blame." 

He  turned  to  me,  and  added,  "This  is  the  best 
time  and  place  to  inform  you  frankly,  Ned,  of  the 
meaning  of  that  encounter.  It  is  due  to  Miss  Vil 
liers,  who  has  not  ceased  to  cherish  sentiments  of 
displeasure  towards  me.  Know,  then,  that  Miss 
Villiers  is  confidential  maid  of  honor  to  her  majesty, 
and  that  her  devotion  knows  no  bounds.  Well,  her 
majesty  desired,  recently,  to  send  an  oral  message  to 
his  majesty,  who  is  in  Scotland.  The  times  are  troubled 
and  dangerous  ;  written  communications  are  liable  to 
be  intercepted  :  in  a  word,  Miss  Villiers  offered  to  go 
to  Scotland  and  convey  the  message  in  person.  Am  I 
right,  Miss  Villiers?  and  have  I  your  permission  to 
proceed?" 


22  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"Yes,  sir,"  returned  the  young  lady,  with  the  slight 
color  still  in  her  cheeks.  "I  even  desire  that  Mr. 
Cecil  shall  be  informed  of  the  meaning  of  that  singular 
adventure." 

"I  see  that  your  displeasure  continues,  madam," 
said  Harry;  "but  I  can  only  submit.  Pardon  me,  I 
pray  you,  for  still  speaking  of  you  in  your  presence  as 
though  you  were  absent." 

He  bowed,  and  went  on,  addressing  himself  to  me. 

"Her  majesty  accepted  the  offer  of  Miss  Villiers, 
and  it  was  arranged  that  she  should  travel  with  a  lady's 
maid  only,  but  the  coach  was  to  be  driven  by  an  old 
and  trusted  servitor.  When  it  left  London  it  was  I, 
however,  who  drove,  and  for  a  simple  reason.  A 
young  lady  would  necessarily  be  exposed,  traveling 
thus  alone,  to  peril ;  so  I  locked  up  the  old  servitor, 
mounted  the  seat  of  the  coach,  and  it  was  only  when 
it  had  proceeded  a  day's  journey,  nearly,  that  Miss 
Villiers  perceived  the  ruse.  I  need  not  say  that  she 
was  very  angry,  and  perhaps  justly  angry.  But  the 
die  was  cast ;  the  message  was  pressing.  The  coach 
continued  its  way,  and  beyond  Doncaster  the  advantage 
of  being  driven  by  an  able-bodied  young  man  in  place 
of  an  infirm  old  servitor  became  apparent,  did  it  not, 
madam?" 

And,  with  lurking  enjoyment  of  his  triumph  in  his 
handsome  eyes,  Harry  turned  to  the  young  lady. 

"  Continue,  sir,"  she  said. 

"Footpads,  Ned!"  Harry  said,  laughing.  "The 
coach  was  attacked.  The  coachman  heroically  dis 
charged  his  pistols  and  unhorsed  one  of  the  knights 
of  the  road ;  the  rest  fled.  The  coach  imitated  them, 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  23 

and  we  reached  Scotland,  to  return  speedily  over  the 
same  ground  London-ward.  In  traveling,  no  time  was 
lost.  The  coach  was  driven  on  day  and  night,  as  you 
may  understand  from  the  fact  that  we  reached  Wen- 
dover  as  you  were  coming  down  to  breakfast.  Peste  ! 
as  her  majesty's  French  maids  say,  I  have  not  yet 
caught  up  with  my  lost  sleep.  I  nod  in  the  saddle, 
and  snore  while  rattling  the  dice  !  To  conclude,  Miss 
Villiers  most  generously  made  my  peace  with  her 
majesty.  I  am  becoming  a  court  favorite,  they  tell  me ; 
and  after  the  assault  of  the  footpads  I  regained,  and 
still  enjoy,  the  luxury  of  a  good  conscience  and  an 
exalted  opinion  of  myself." 

It  was  impossible  to  resist  Harry's  gayety.  A  smile 
came  to  Miss  Villiers's  lips,  and  she  said, — 

"  Mr.  Cecil  was  born  to  be  an  advocate  in  the  courts 
of  law.  He  will  end  by  forcing  me  to  thank  him  for 
locking  up  the  queen's  servitor." 

"No,  madam,"  said  Harry,  bowing  low,  and  speak 
ing  with  an  earnestness  in  strong  contrast  to  his  former 
levity ;  "I  shall  be  content  if  you  pardon  a  very  auda 
cious  escapade " 

As  he  uttered  the  words,  an  usher  summoned  Miss 
Villiers  to  attend  the  queen.  She  rose,  and  for  the 
first  time  I  observed  the  queenly  outline  of  her  person. 
There  was  something  regal  in  her ;  a  slight  bend  in  her 
neck  gave  her  appearance  an  indescribable  grace.  She 
smiled  faintly,  inclined  her  head,  and,  gliding  rather 
than  walking,  disappeared. 

"By  heavens,  she's  a  queen!"  exclaimed  Harry. 
"Come,  Ned,  and  rest  easy;  from  this  moment  you 
are  as  good  as  one  of  her  majesty's  Guards.  My  pockets 


24  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

are  full  of  gold;  I  make  you  a  present  of  your  uni 
form  !  Long  live  her  majesty — and  her  maids  of 
honor!" 


V. 

I  ENTER  THE  QUEEN'S  GUARDS. 

I  SHARED  Harry's  bed  that  night,  and  was  waked  by 
the  trumpet  sounding  reveille. 

The  Guardsmen  paraded  in  the  court, — stiff,  motion 
less,  sitting  their  horses  in  line,  and  answering  gruffly 
to  their  names  as  the  roll  was  called.  The  gay  gallants 
of  the  guard-room  were  turned  to  wooden  figures; 
but  at  the  order  to  return  to  quarters  they  again  broke 
forth  into  jests  and  laughter. 

As  Harry  came  in,  his  rapier  rattling  against  his 
boots,  I  saw  that  he  held  a  paper  in  his  hand. 

"Here  is  what  one  of  the  queen's  ushers  has  just 
brought,  Ned,"  he  said. 

I  looked  at  the  paper ;  it  was  my  appointment  to  a 
place  in  the  queen's  Guards. 

"You  see  Miss  Villiers  stands  by  her  friends,  Ned," 
said  Harry.  "Come  and  don  one  of  my  old  uniforms. 
From  this  moment  you  are  a  Guardsman  !" 

He  laughed,  and  put  his  arm  round  my  neck.  Of 
all  the  faces  I  ever  saw,  Harry's  came  nearest  sunshine 
when  he  thus  laughed. 

The  day  passed  in  a  round  of  excitement.  I  did  not 
reflect  upon  the  scant  respect  paid  my  father  in  thus 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  2$ 

cavalierly  turning  my  back  on  the  profession  for  which 
he  had  destined  me.  Had  the  eyes  of  Frances  Villiers 
already  worked  their  magic  on  me  ?  I  know  not ;  but 
I  hailed  the  change  in  my  destiny  with  delight.  Let 
me  add  here,  as  I  shall  pass  soon  to  stirring  events, 
that  my  dear  father  manifested  no  displeasure  at  the 
unceremonious  step  thus  taken,  but  sent  me  his  full  ap 
proval  ;  and  I  had  no  sooner  received  my  appointment 
then  I  set  about  my  arrangements.  These  were  speedily 
made.  The  tailor  of  the  Guardsmen,  in  Rosemary  Lane, 
near  the  Tower,  came  and  took  my  measure  for  my 
uniform, — in  the  mean  while  I  donned  an  old  one  of 
Harry's; — Dick  the  hostler  declared  his  strong  wish 
to  remain  and  attend  to  my  horses,  and  so  behold  me 
suddenly  a  full-fledged  guardsman  of  the  queen  ! 

I  was  to  commence  my  duties  more  speedily  than  I 
supposed.  I  had  just  entered  the  guard-room,  about 
noon,  when  Harry  came  in,  and  I  could  see  that  he  was 
angry. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  I  said. 

He  drew  my  arm  through  his  own,  and  dragged  me 
rather  than  led  me  out. 

"The  matter  is  insolence  and  cruelty,  Ned!"  he 
said,  with  a  sort  of  growl  peculiar  to  him  when  any 
thing  moved  him.  "The  crop-eared  knaves  in  parlia 
ment  have  insulted  her  majesty  !" 

"Insulted?" 

"Judge!  Here  comes  to-day  a  messenger  with  a 
paper  from  that  rascal  Pym  and  the  rest,  that  her  maj 
esty  '  must  surrender  her  young  family  into  their  hands 
during  the  absence  of  the  king,  lest  she  should  take  an 
opportunity  of  making  papists  of  them.'  ' 
B  3 


26  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"And  her  majesty  has  replied?" 

"That  her  sons  were  under  tuition  of  their  governors, 
who  were  not  papists:  she  obeyed  the  will  of  her 
husband  that  they  should  not  be  brought  up  in  her  re 
ligion.  And  this  is  not  all !" 

"What  more,  Harry?" 

"Secret  information  has  just  arrived  that  a  parlia 
mentary  order  has  been  sent  to  a  magistrate  near  Oat- 
lands,  where  the  royal  family  now  are,  to  be  ready 
with  a  part  of  the  militia  in  the  park  of  the  palace  to 
night, — where  he  would  be  joined  by  a  body  of  cav 
alry, — and  await  further  orders." 

"  They  mean  to  seize  on  the  royal  family  !" 

Harry  burst  out  into  such  oaths  as  I  will  not  record. 

"At  their  peril!"  he  said.  "I  say  no  more  now, 
but " 

The  trumpet  was  heard  without,  sounding  "  Boots 
and  Saddles,"  and  the  palace  was  in  commotion.  Harry 
was  hastening  out,  when  an  usher  came  in,  looking 
rapidly  around. 

"  I  am  ordered  to  summon  the  first  two  gentlemen 
of  the  Guards  I  meet,  to  her  majesty's  presence,"  he 
said. 

"Come  on,  Ned!" 

Harry  was  already  rushing  after  the  usher.  I  followed. 
We  passed  along  a  great  corridor,  through  a  magnifi 
cent  suite  of  apartments,  then  into  an  antechamber, 
where,  at  a  sign  from  the  usher,  Harry  paused,  while 
we  were  being  announced. 

' '  Let  them  come  in ! "  exclaimed  a  voice  in  a  decided 
French  accent. 

A  moment  afterwards  I  had  followed   my  brother 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  27 

into  a  large  apartment  richly  furnished  and  half  filled 
with  maids  of  honor,  among  whom  stood  a  lady  clad 
in  black,  with  a  pallid  face  and  piercing  eyes.  This 
lady,  I  heard  afterwards,  was  the  secret  enemy  of  her 
majesty,  Lady  Carlisle. 

In  one  corner,  near  a  prie-dieu,  stood  a  father  con 
fessor  in  black  robes.  On  the  carpet  gamboled  a  small 
black  dog,  the  famous  Mitte,  so  intimately  associated 
with  her  majesty's  wanderings  and  perils. 

Lastly,  at  a  table,  where  she  wrote  rapidly,  sat  the 
queen. 


VI. 

HORSES   FOR   FRANCE. 

HER  majesty  Queen  Henrietta  Maria — or  "Mary," 
as  King  Charles  and  his  followers  always  called  her — 
seemed  to  labor  under  great  emotion. 

She  was  a  very  beautiful  person  of  about  thirty, 
of  an  exquisite  clear  brunette  complexion,  with  glossy 
brown  hair,  and  large  black  eyes  which  sparkled  like 
stars.  It  was  impossible  not  to  admire  her  extreme 
delicacy  of  features  and  the  noble  and  imposing  air 
of  her  whole  person.  I  am  not  skillful  in  costume,  and 
rarely  recall  what  a  human  being  wears,  but  I  remember 
the  rich  brocade  the  queen  wore  that  day,  the  full  lace 
ruffles,  the  little  cape,  called  a  berthe,  I  think,  and  the 
bodice  finished  around  the  bosom  and  at  the  waist 
with  a  purple  band.  A  string  of  pearls  confined  her 


28  HER    MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

magnificent  brown  hair ;  on  her  bosom  lay  a  cross  sus 
pended  from  a  necklace  :  it  was  in  this  very  costume, 
I  think,  that  she  was  drawn  by  the  great  painter  Van 
dyke,  and  inspired  in  Mr.  Edmund  Waller,  the  poet, 
the  fine  lines, — 

"  Beauty  hath  crown'd  you,  and  you  must  have  been 
The  whole  world's  mistress,  other  than  a  queen !" 

When  I  first  saw  "  the  whole  world's  mistress,"  on  that 
autumn  day  at  Hampton  Court,  she  was  in  a  rage ; 
the  fine  eyes  flashed,  and  the  clear  brunette  face  was 
crimson  with  anger. 

"The  messengers!"  she  said,  without  looking  up, 
and  continuing  to  write  rapidly. 

The  usher  respectfully  approached  and  uttered  a  few 
words.  The  queen  raised  her  head,  and  one  of  her 
slender  and  beautiful  hands  went  rapidly  and  nervously 
to  the  cross  upon  her  bosom.  She  had  opened  her 
lips  to  speak,  when  a  second  usher  entered  and 
asked  an  audience  for  some  one  whose  name  I  did  not 
hear. 

"The  magistrate!  the  very  one!  Admit  him!" 
came  from  the  queen,  quickly. 

The  usher  hastened  out,  and  soon  returned  with  a 
portly,  red-faced  justice,  who  bowed  low. 

"  I  crave  permission  to  lay  this  order  before  your 
majesty,"  said  the  justice.  "  It  is  from  the  parliament, 
and  directs  me  to  summon  the  militia  and  patrol  Oat- 
lands  Park." 

"  Obey  your  order,  sir  !"  exclaimed  the  queen. 

"I  must  disobey  your  majesty.     Nothing  will  ever 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  2g 

induce  me  to  obey  any  order  other  than  her  own  or 
the  king's." 

The  queen  rose  with  a  brilliant  flash  of  her  proud 
eyes. 

11  Thanks,  sir  !  thanks  !  His  majesty  shall  know  of 
this.  But  return  and  do  exactly  what  the  parliament 
has  dictated,  and  be  tranquil.  We  shall  further  ex 
plain  this  :  at  present  return  and  obey  your  orders." 

There  was  no  room  for  reply.  The  magistrate  left 
the  apartment,  and  the  queen  resumed  her  seat  and 
wrote  a  few  more  lines. 

"This  to  Lord  Digby,  in  London,"  she  said,  ex 
tending  a  paper  towards  Harry,  who  bowed  low  as  he 
received  it. 

"  This  to  its  address,"  the  queen  added;  and  as  she 
held  out  the  paper  her  eyes  met  my  own. 

I  thought  I  heard  at  the  same  moment  a  faint  mur 
mur  from  Miss  Villiers,  who  stood  near  the  queen. 

"  It  is  well;  lose  no  time,  Mr.  Cecil." 

I  retired  blushing  with  delight  at  this  utterance  of 
my  name  by  the  queen.  She  was  so  beautiful  as  she 
sat  there  with  that  ring  of  rose-buds,  her  maids  of  honor, 
around  her,  that  the  sternest  Puritan,  I  think,  would 
have  flushed  with  pleasure  as  I  did. 

Harry  and  myself  left  the  court-yard  at  the  same 
moment,  at  a  gallop. 

"Huzza  for  Queen  Mary!"  he  cried,  as  he  disap 
peared. 

The  note  to  Lord  Digby,  as  I  afterwards  ascertained, 
contained  an  urgent  request  that  his  lordship  would 
muster  his  friends  and  proceed  on  that  very  night 
to  Oatlands  Park.  The  letter  borne  by  myself  was 


3o  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

addressed  to  a  gentleman  residing  some  miles  from 
Hampton  Court,  who  possessed  a  stud  of  horses 
famous  for  blood  and  speed, — the  queen  designing  to 
make  use  of  them  in  bearing  off  her  children,  if  neces 
sary,  to  France. 

I  soon  reached  the  old  manor-house  of  the  gentleman 
in  question, — Colonel  Edward  Cooke,  of  the  royal 
forces.  Colonel  Cooke  was  a  tall  and  stately  old 
cavalier,  with  piercing  eyes,  a  stern  expression,  but 
slightly  ameliorated  by  the  ghost  of  a  smile,  and  the 
bearing  of  a  thorough  soldier. 

"  Say  to  her  majesty,  sir,"  he  said,  with  a  bow,  as 
he  read  the  note  in  his  great  hall,  "  that  all  I  possess 
is  at  her  command, — including  my  heart  and  sword, — 
both  by  day  and  by  night." 

With  this  reply,  which  I  saw,  from  the  sudden  flash 
of  the  eye,  came  from  the  speaker's  heart,  I  returned 
to  Hampton  Court ;  and  the  response  of  Colonel  Cooke 
was  conveyed  to  her  majesty  by  Miss  Frances  Villiers, 
who  was  installed  in  the  antechamber  as  a  sort  of 
adjutant-general. 

"Her  majesty  bids  me  thank  you,  Mr.  Cecil,"  the 
young  lady  said,  coming  out  again  and  gazing  at  me 
with  her  great  calm  eyes.  "  I  counsel  you  to  sup  now  : 
the  Guards  will  move  in  half  an  hour." 

As  she  spoke,  the  trumpet  sounded  "To  horse!" 
the  Guards  rapidly  drew  up  in  the  court-yard  ;  and,  with 
a  decided  gnawing  in  his  stomach,  Mr.  Edmund  Cecil 
took  his  place  in  the  line. 

Every  man  was  fully  armed,  and  an  expedition  of 
some  sort  was  evidently  on  the  tapis. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  31 


VII. 
WHAT  TOOK  PLACE  BY  MOONLIGHT  IN  OATLANDS  PARK. 

As  night  fell,  an  odd  cavalcade  left  Hampton  Court. 
It  consisted  of  a  number  of  coaches,  containing  her 
majesty  and  the  ladies  of  her  suite ;  behind  these  the 
Guards;  and  behind  the  Guards  a  motley  rout  of 
ushers,  footmen,  serving-men  of  every  description,  and 
even  scullions  from  the  kitchens, — all,  with  scarce  an 
exception,"  bearing  arms  of  some  sort.  So  quaint  was 
this  armament,  indeed,  that  it  was  difficult  to  restrain 
one's  laughter.  The  serving-men  carried  cleavers  and 
carving-knives,  and  the  scullions  had  caught  up  the 
spits  and  other  weapons  more  useful  in  peace  than  in 
war.  Altogether,  the  spectacle  was  a  comedy,  whose 
fantastic  humor  still  moves  me,  as  it  returns  to  my 
memory. 

What  did  it  mean,  everybody  asked  himself,  and 
whither  was  her  majesty  going  ?  The  reply  was  that 
she  was  "going  to  spend  the  evening  in  the  park  at 
Oatlands;"  and  doubtless  it  was  her  majesty's  desire 
that  her  household  should  go  too,  as  she  had  ordered 
their  attendance,  with  the  singular  direction  that  every 
one  should  be  armed  ! 

No  one  of  this  generation  will  ever  look  upon  Oat- 
lands, — the  ancient  dower  residence  and  favorite  resort 
of  the  queens  of  England  for  so  many  reigns, — with 


3 2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

its  old  walls,  its  moat  and  fosses,  its  shady  park  and 
secluded  landscape.  It  was  leveled  to  the  ground 
during  the  civil  wars,  and  is  only  a  name  now;  but  on 
that  autumn  evening  of  1641  it  was  yet  untouched. 
As  the  queen  entered  the  vast  park  and  drew  near  the 
ancient  building,  frowning  from  behind  its  moat  and 
with  the  drawbridge  up,  the  great  oaks  waved  their 
variegated  arms  above  the  queer  cavalcade, — their  tops 
silvered  by  the  first  rays  of  the  rising  moon. 

Suddenly  the  trumpet  of  the  Guards  rang  out ;  and  as 
the  queen's  coach  stopped  before  the  drawbridge,  the 
palace  front  became  alive  with  faces.  Then  the  draw 
bridge  was  seen  to  descend,  the  coaches  entered,  and 
the  Guards,  followed  by  the  motley  rout,  clattered  over 
the  bridge. 

The  queen  was  assisted  from  her  coach  by  a  tall  and 
bland-looking  gentleman  of  about  sixty,  richly  clad, — 
Lord  Harry  Jermyn,  as -I  soon  discovered,  her  grand 
equerry  and  confidential  secretary. 

Lord  Jermyn  smiled,  and  uttered  a  few  words. 

"  It  is  well,  my  lord,"  her  majesty  replied.  "  Have 
my  palfrey  saddled,  and  be  ready  to  attend  me." 

The  broad  portals  of  the  palace  then  swallowed  the 
bevy  of  fair  ladies;  the  Guards,  followed  by  their  nonde 
script  allies,  recrossed  the  drawbridge,  and  were  drawn 
up  in  the  park ;  and,  to  return  to  myself,  I  remained 
for  half  an  hour  suffering  the  pangs  of  starvation. 

Then,  in  the  half-gloom,  horses'  hoqfs  were  heard 
upon  the  drawbridge,  a  lady's  scarf  glimmered  in  the 
moonlight,  and  the  queen  appeared,  mounted  upon  her 
palfrey,  attended  by  Lord  Jermyn,  who  rode  at  her  side. 

The  queen  rode  straight  to  the  officer  commanding 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  33 

her  Guards,  and  gave  him  an  order.  He  immediately 
turned,  and  ordered, — 

"  Attention  !  Form  squads  of  three,  passing  off 
from  the  right,  and  patrol  the  park.  If  any  suspicious 
characters  are  encountered,  arrest  them,  and  report 
with  them  here.  March  !" 

At  the  word,  the  Guards  separated  into  squads,  and 
scattered  in  every  direction.  I  followed  with  two  com 
panions  a  by-way  winding  through  the  densest  portion 
of  the  park ;  and  we  were  riding  on,  keeping  a  good 
lookout,  when  the  trampling  of  hoofs  was  heard  in 
front.  I  was  in  advance  of  my  companions,  and,  draw 
ing  rein,  ordered,  "  Halt !" 

The  tramp  drew  nearer,  and  in  the  moonlight  I  saw 
advancing  a  body  of  about  one  hundred  horsemen.  I 
repeated  the  order  to  halt,  and  drew  my  pistol,  cocking 
it.  The  column  halted,  and  a  single  horseman  rode 
forward. 

"This  is  a  patrol?"  the  horseman  said,  in  a  com 
manding  voice. 

"  Yes.     What  party  is  that  ?" 

"  Friends  of  the  queen.     Permit  us  to  pass." 

"  Impossible,  sir.     I  do  not  know  you,"  I  replied. 

"  Move  aside  !"  was  the  response,  in  a  haughty  tone  ; 
and,  as  he  spoke,  the  horseman  advanced  upon  me. 

"  Halt,  or  you  are  dead  !"  I  said,  putting  my  pistol 
to  his  breast ;  whereat  he  paused,  in  some  astonishment. 

"I  am  Lord  Digby,  come  hither  by  the  queen's 
order,"  he  said,  gruffly. 

"  I  do  not  know  your  lordship.  You  have,  doubt 
less,  your  order  on  your  person  ?" 

"  I  have."  And,  drawing  his  sword  with  one  hand, 
B* 


34  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

he  presented  with  the  other  the  queen's  letter.  A  glance 
at  it  jn  the  bright  moonlight  terminated  every  doubt. 

"Pass,  my  lord,"  I  said,  bowing.  "Your  lordship 
will  appreciate  my  course.  Our  orders  are  impera 
tive  to  stop  all  persons." 

"Your  name,  sir?" 

"  Edmund  Cecil,  of  her  majesty's  Guards,  my  lord." 

His  lordship  simply  saluted,  and  ordered,  "For 
ward  !"  as  I  rode  into  the  wood  with  my  companions. 
I  had  made  an  enemy  of  Lord  Digby,  it  seemed ;  but 
then  I  had  carefully  obeyed  orders ;  and,  careless  of 
the  consequences,  I  continued  to  patrol  the  park  with 
my  two  companions. 

Nothing  suspicious  met  our  eyes,  and  we  were  re 
turning  in  the  direction  of  the  palace,  when  I  saw, 
through  a  vista  in  the  trees,  a  party  of  about  twenty 
horsemen.  We  rode  at  once  towards  them ;  and  one 
of  my  companions  demanded  who  they  were.  No 
reply  was  made  ;  and  I  rode  in  advance,  repeating  the 
question.  The  group  of  horsemen  grew  agitated,  and 
moved  to  and  fro.  The  movement  unmasked  one  of 
the  party,  who  carried  a  fat  buck  across  the  saddle  in 
front  of  him. 

"You  are  poachers,  assailing  the  king's  deer!"  I 
cried.  "  Halt,  and  give  yourselves  up  !" 

A  shot  replied.  It  issued  from  a  sort  of  blunderbuss 
in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  party,  and  the  bullet  passed 
through  the  rim  of  my  gray  beaver.  I  fired  in  return, 
and  drove  my  horse  at  the  owner  of  the  blunderbuss, 
reached  his  side,  closed  in  with  him,  and  recognized 
the  burly  young  man  who  had  insulted  Miss  Villiers  on 
the  way  to  Hampton  Court. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  35 

I  had  clutched  him  by  the  throat,  and  had  nearly 
dragged  him  from  the  saddle,  when  he  struck  me  a 
heavy  blow  on  the  temple,  which  threw  me  to  the 
ground.  As  I  fell,  I  heard  cries  and  the  trample  of 
hoofs ;  the  poachers  fled ;  and  I  saw  around  me  a  con 
fused  crowd,  in  the  midst  of  which  the  bright  moon 
light  fell  upon  the  flashing  eyes  and  enraged  face  of 
the  queen.  It  was  the  lioness,  ready  to  protect 
her  young, — to  contend  in  person,  if  necessary,  with 
those  bent  on  robbing  her  of  her  children.  The 
beautiful  face  was  superb  in  its  wrath  and  defiance : 
it  towered  above  me  for  a  moment,  and  then  I  lost 
consciousness. 

I  was  lying  on  a  couch  in  the  palace  when  I  regained 
my  senses,  and  some  one  was  bathing  an  ugly  wound 
on  my  temple,  which  bled  freely.  As  all  traces  of  it, 
save  a  slight  scar,  have  disappeared  for  thirty  years  or 
more,  I  will  not  weary  the  reader  with  a  tedious  ac 
count  of  this  particular  "broken  head."  One  inci 
dent  remains  unalterably  in  my  memory,  however.  A 
beautiful  face  appeared  for  an  instant  at  the  door,  and 
a  low,  sweet  voice  said, — 

"  Her  majesty  desires  to  know  if  Mr.  Cecil's  hurt  is 
dangerous. ' ' 

The  leech  replied  in  the  negative,  and  the  face  dis 
appeared  ;  but  a  blessed  influence  remained  with  me. 
It  was  the  voice  of  Frances  Villiers  which  had  uttered 
those  low  words, — the  eyes  of  the  beautiful  girl  which 
had -sent  their  healing  balm  into  my  heart.  I  fell 
asleep  soon  afterwards,  and  dreamed  of  the  face. 
From  that  moment  I  seldom  lost  sight  of  it,  waking  or 
sleeping  :  in  a  word,  Frances  Villiers  began  to  be,  what 


36  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

she  very  soon  became,  the  sole  object  of  my  waking 
thoughts  and  my  dreams. 

Such  had  been  the  events  of  the  night  in  Oatlands 
Park.  The  lioness  had  mounted  guard  over  her  off 
spring,  defying  her  enemies;  and  the  long  moonlight 
night  passed  undisturbed. 


VIII. 

WHAT   A    PIE    CONTAINED. 

ON  the  next  morning  I  got  up,  buckled  on  my 
sword,  and  reported  for  duty.  Harry  came  up  and 
hugged  me  with  ardor. 

"Here's  the  hero  of  the  encounter !"  he  cried,  "the 
only  human  being  everybody  talks  of " 

"Even  her  majesty,"  said  a  grave  and  courtly  voice 
behind  me;  and,  turning  round,  I  saw  Lord  Digby. 

His  lordship  smiled  with  an  air  of  great  courtesy,  and 
held  out  his  hand. 

"  I  have  come  to  compliment  your  good  soldiership, 
Mr.  Cecil,  in  persistently  halting  me  in  the  park  last 
night,"  he  said.  "You  serve  her  majesty  as  she  ought 
to  be  served,  and  I  offer  you  my  compliments,  sir." 

He  bowed,  and  passed  on,  leaving  me  charmed  at  my 
sudden  importance  !  I  seemed  about  to  become  some 
body  !  A  lucky  accident  had  raised  me  from  obscu 
rity,  and  I  had  even  attracted  the  attention  of  her 
majesty, — who  from  that  moment,  as  the  reader  will 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  37 

perceive,  remembered  my  name  and  honored  me  with 
her  august  regard. 

The  court  returned  on  the  same  evening  to  Hamp 
ton  Court;  but  before  the  cortege  left  Oatlands  an 
incident  of  a  very  comic  nature  occurred, — one  which 
made  everybody  laugh,  and  introduced  an  afterwards 
famous  personage. 

I  had  just  risen  from  the  mess-table  in  the  guard 
room,  where  I  had  dined,  when  shouts  of  laughter  from 
the  great  hall  of  the  palace,  where  her  majesty  was  also 
dining,  attracted  our  attention.  So  loud  and  uncere 
monious  was  this  laughter  that  it  drew  us  irresistibly 
towards  the  door.  I  hastened  thither  with  the  rest, 
glanced  through  the  half-open  door,  and  at  first  was 
almost  unable  to  believe  my  eyesight. 

Her  majesty  sat  at  table  with  her  maids  of  honor 
and  attendant  lords,  and  on  the  broad  board,  imme 
diately  in  front  of  her  plate,  knelt  a  figure  scarce  two 
feet  in  height, — a  manikin  clad  in  full  cavalier  cos 
tume,  with  top-boots,  a  minute  sword  at  his  side,  with  a 
plumed  beaver  in  one  hand,  and  the  other  hand  upon 
his  heart. 

Behind  the  dwarf  was  seen  a  huge  pie,  from  which 
he  had  popped  up,  I  soon  discovered,  at  the  moment 
when  the  pastry  was  cut.  The  queen  had  started  back 
in  utter  amazement,  but  the  dwarf  had  respectfully 
stepped  towards  her  plate.  There  he  had  stopped, 
fallen  upon  one  knee,  and  offered  his  respectful  homage 
to  her  majesty,  his  hand  resting  devotedly  upon  his 
heart. 

As  I  reached  the  door  and  took  in  this  odd  spec 
tacle,  the  shouts  of  laughter,  defying  all  ceremony, 

4 

O 


38  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

ceased.  Her  majesty  turned  towards  Lord  Jermyn,  and 
said,  in  high  good  humor, — 

"We  owe  this  surprise  to  you,  my  lord." 

Lord  Jermyn,  with  his  bland  and  courtly  smile,  re 
turned, — 

"  Your  majesty  has  concluded  justly :  the  comedy 
comes  after  the  melodrame.  This  little  gentleman  is 
one  of  your  majesty's  most  faithful  subjects,  and,  know 
ing  your  majesty's  taste  for  small  people,  I  have  planned 
this  surprise." 

The  queen  gazed  with  suppressed  smiles  at  the  dwarf, 
and  then  at  Lord  Jermyn. 

"  Thanks,  my  lord.  We  accept  your  gift,  and  take 
into  our  service — how  call  you  him?" 

"  Geoffrey  Hudson,  your  majesty." 

The  queen  extended  her  hand  and  drew  the  small 
sword  of  the  manikin  from  its  scabbard.  With  the 
same  expression  of  struggling  merriment,  she  then 
touched  the  dwarf's  shoulder  with  the  weapon,  and 
said, — 

"Rise,  Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson :  we  take  you  into  our 
service." 

The  manikin  rose,  and  made  a  bow  so  profound 
that  his  head  nearly  touched  the  table.  He  was  scarce 
two  feet,  as  I  have  said,  in  height. 

"I  thank  your  majesty,"  he  said,  in  a  small,  piping 
voice,  "and  will  endeavor  to  serve  her  faithfully,  how 
ever  small  my  stature." 

A  great  laugh  saluted  the  words,  and  the  dwarf's 
face  flushed  with  anger,  as  he  darted  quick  glances 
around  him. 

"I   recommend  caution  to   gentlemen  who  would 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  39 

avoid  Sir  Geoffrey's  sword-thrust !"  said  Lord  Jermyn, 
laughing. 

And  Sir  Geoffrey  having  leaped  nimbly  to  the  floor, 
where  he  walked  up  and  down  with  great  gravity  and 
dignity,  the  banquet  proceeded  and  terminated. 

When  her  majesty  set  out  on  her  return  to  Hampton 
Court  in  the  afternoon,  I  observed  that  the  singular 
manikin  had  been  furnished  with  a  seat  among  the 
maids  of  honor  in  one  of  the  coaches.  The  taste  for 
such  strange  beings  was  at  that  epoch  a  passion  almost : 
thus,  the  young  ladies  welcomed  him  warmly,  instead 
of  betraying  any  aversion ;  and  on  the  arrival  of  the 
queen  at  Hampton  Court  he  was  supplied  with  an 
apartment,  and  became  formally  a  member  of  the  royal 
household. 

He  will  reappear  more  than  once  in  the  progress  of 
these  memoirs;  and  an  event  which  I  shall  relate  in  its 
place  will  show  that,  small  as  this  strange  human  insect 
might  be,  his  sting  was  mortal. 


IX. 


I    GO   TO   ROSEMARY  LANE,    AND    MEET   WITH   AN   UGLY 
ADVENTURE. 

I  WAS  quite  charmed  with  the  new  course  which  my 
life  had  now  taken,  and — thinking  continuously  of  a 
young  lady  with  great,  calm  eyes — grew  sedulous  of 
my  personal  appearance,  and  thought  of  my  tailor. 

Going  to  try  on  my  new  uniform,  I  met  with  two 


40  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

personages,  the  one  fantastic,  the  other  terrible;  and 
of  these  I  shall  now  speak. 

The  name  of  the  tailor  was  Joyce,  and  his  shop  was 
not  far  from  the  Tower.  The  gentlemen  of  the  Guards 
had  made  him  the  fashion,  by  a  species  of  caprice : 
he  had  sent  to  take  my  measure,  on  receiving  a  mes 
sage  from  Harry;  and  the  emissary,  when  leaving  me, 
requested  with  an  air  of  importance  that  I  would  come 
to  his  master's  shop  and  try  on  the  uniform  "during 
the  process  of  its  construction,"  as  nothing  caused  Mr. 
Joyce  such  pain  as  to  supply  gentlemen  with  ill-fitting 
garments. 

I  hastened  therefore,  a  day  or  two  after  the  events 
just  described,  to  visit  the  shop  of  Mr.  Joyce,  tailor, 
in  Rosemary  Lane.  Leaving  my  horse  in  the  Guards 
men's  stables  at  Whitehall,  I  proceeded  on  foot;  and  it 
was  nearly  evening  when  I  at  last  reached  Rosemary 
Lane,  where  a  tall  house  toppling  forward  was  pointed 
out  to  me  as  the  shop  of  the  tailor. 

He  was  at  work  as  I  entered, — a  small,  important- 
looking  man,  snipping  viciously  with  a  great  pair  of 
shears, — and  greeted  me  with  a  nonchalant  air,  very 
unusual  in  a  tradesman.  Summoning  an  apprentice,  he 
gave  him  an  order,  and,  taking  no  further  notice  of  me, 
strolled  to  the  doorway.  His  hands  were  thrust  beneath 
his  coat-skirts,  he  carried  his  nose  in  the  air,  and  only 
returned  to  the  lower  world,  as  'twere,  when  his  ap 
prentice  brought  the  half-finished  coat. 

At  a  sign  from  him  the  apprentice  approached  me. 
I  removed  my  coat,  and  tried  on  the  new  garment. 
He  of  the  elevated  nose  then  walked  around  me  and 
surveyed  me  from  all  sides. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  41 

"Take  up  in  the  waist,"  he  said  to  the  apprentice. 
"More — more — not  so  much — more — there." 

He  then  gazed  at  me  from  head  to  foot. 

"If  you  would  hold  up  your  head,"  he  said, — 
"there.  The  coat  will  fit.  Be  good  enough  to  write 
your  name  here." 

He  laid  a  large  ledger  before  me.  I  saw  there  the 
names  of  Ireton  and  Cromwell. 

"So  you  are  court  and  parliament  tailor  indiffer 
ently?"  I  remarked,  laughing. 

"Yes,"  said  Mr.  Joyce,  carelessly.  "I  make  fpr 
Guardsmen  and  parliament  people,  the  court  and  the 
Roundhead  class,  as  the  new  term  has  it." 

"And  your  own  politics?" 

"Roundhead,"  said  Mr.  Joyce,  coolly. 

He  then  drew  his  hands  from  beneath  his  coat-skirts, 
informed  me  that  my  uniform  would  be  sent  me  in  three 
days,  turned  his  back  on  me,  and  began  snipping  away 
again  with  his  great  shears. 

Such  was  my  first  sight  of  this  personage,  who  was 
to  become  historic.  I  went  out  of  his  shop,  half 
angry  and  half  amused.  But  night  began  to  fall,  I  was 
far  from  Whitehall,  and  the  narrow  and  winding  street 
— a  sort  of  ditch  between  the  tall,  toppling  houses  on 
each  side — was  far  from  presenting  a  very  cheerful  ap 
pearance.  There  was  something  decidedly  cut-throatish 
about  it ;  and  footpads  then  swarmed  in  London.  A 
dim  lamp  beginning  to  twinkle  at  long  intervals,  from 
the  ropes  suspended  across  the  street,  only  rendered 
darkness  visible,  to  use  Mr.  Milton's  fine  expression. 
So  I  determined  to  issue  from  this  suspicious-looking 
4* 


42  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

place  as  soon  as  possible,  and  set  forward,  walking 
rapidly  towards  the  Tower. 

I  had  gone  about  two  hundred  paces,  when  a  royster- 
ing  party  of  apprentices  apparently,  armed  with  clubs, 
came  towards  me,  and,  as  they  passed,  one  of  them 
jostled  me  rudely.  As  he  did  so,  I  looked  at  him ; 
our  eyes  met :  it  was  the  burly  young  man  with  whom 
I  had  grappled  in  Oatlands  Park. 

"Fall  on!"  he  shouted,  suddenly.  "I  know  this 
popinjay,  and  you  know  him !  He  chased  us  in  the 
park, — and  he  pulled  my  ear,  the  fiend  seize  him  !" 

As  he  uttered  these  words,  the  speaker  rushed  ugon 
me,  lifting  his  club  to  brain  me. 

"Hark!  tackle  to  him,  Hulet !"  cried  his  friends; 
"show  him " 

A  hoarse  growl  from  my  enemy  drowned  the  rest. 
He  struck  straight  at  me,  and  his  associates  closed  in 
on  me  at  the  same  moment,  reminding  me  of  a  pack  of 
hounds  around  a  hare. 

I  was  not  precisely  a  hare,  however,  and  I  had  my 
rapier  to  meet  the  cudgel.  With  the  determination  to 
give  a  good  account  of  one  or  two  of  my  assailants 
at  least,  I  lunged  at  the  man  called  Hulet,  and  ran  him 
through  the  fleshy  part  of  his  arm.  The  wound  seemed 
to  render  him  furious.  He  aimed  a  blow  at  my  head 
with  his  cudgel ;  I  parried ;  the  blow  fell  on  my  rapier, 
and  the  treacherous  iron  snapped  within  a  foot  of  the 
hilt. 

A  loud  cry  followed ;  my  assailants  closed  in  upon 
me,  forced  me  to  the  wall,  struck  at  me,  keeping 
out  of  reach  of  my  sword-stump, — and  I  began  to 
realize  that  in  a  few  moments  I  would  probably  be 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  43 

knocked  down  and  left  senseless  or  dead  on  he  paving- 
stones. 

I  looked  hastily  around.  All  the  shops  were  closed. 
I  was  in  front  of  a  gloomy-looking  house,  whose  win 
dows  were  fast-barred,  and  against  the  door  of  this 
house  my  assailants  had  now  forced  me. 

"Kill  him,  Hulet!"  rose  in  a  wrathful  shout,  and 
the  whole  party  threw  themselves  upon  me,  aiming  at 
my  head  with  their  clubs.  I  endeavored  in  vain  to 
parry  this  storm  of  blows;  my  back  was  against  the 
door  of  the  gloomy  house ;  I  lunged  with  my  sword- 
stump,  shouting  for  the  watch  without  result ;  then  a 
heavy  blow  fell  upon  my  forehead,  and  I  staggered, 
dropping  the  stump  of  my  weapon. 

As  I  did  so,  the  door  against  which  I  leaned  opened 
suddenly,  and  I  felt  myself  dragged  in.  As  the  ap 
prentices  rushed  towards  it,  it  was  shut  in  their  faces. 
I  then  heard  a  bar  fall,  and  a  chain  drawn  across  the 
door.  A  voice  said,  "You  are  safe,  sir," — the  voice 
of  a  woman  ;  and,  half  conscious,  half  fainting,  with  a 
tremendous  buzzing  in  my  ears,  I  found  myself  led  into 
an  apartment,  where  there  was  an  arm-chair:  into  this 
I  fell,  and  the  same  voice  said, — 

"  God  be  thanked !  They  have  not  killed  you,  sir  !" 


44  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


X. 

A   TERRIBLE   PERSONAGE. 

I  RAISED  my  languid  eyes  and  gazed  at  the  speaker. 
She  was  a  girl  of  about  twenty,  evidently  of  the  middle 
or  lower  class,  but  pale, — I  might  say  aristocratic, — and 
with  large  blue  eyes,  which  looked  at  me  with  womanly 
sweetness  and  a  sort  of  sad  sympathy. 

In  her  face  this  air  of  sadness  predominated.  A  deep 
melancholy  seemed  to  weigh  upon  her,  banishing  all 
her  smiles  and  roses. 

"You  are  safe,  sir,"  she  said,  in  the  same  low,  sweet 
voice.  "  These  brawls  are  growing  terribly  common.  If 
I  had  not  heard  the  noise  of  staves  and  the  cries,  you 
might  have  been  murdered." 

"I  had  indeed  scarce  a  chance  of  preserving  my  life, 
I  think,"  I  returned;  "but,  thanks  to  your  courage,  I 
am  scarce  hurt." 

"Your  head,  sir " 

"  'Tis  nothing;  a  little  faintness." 

"I  will  prepare  a  reviving  draught." 

And,  with  deft  fingers,  the  maiden  busied  herself  in 
mingling  a  flagon  of  wine,  sugar,  and  spices,  which  she 
presented  to  me  with  the  same  air  of  sad  sweetness  and 
grace. 

I  had  half  emptied  the  draught,  when  a  door  in  rear 
of  the  apartment  opened,  and  a  man  of  tall  stature, 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  45 

carrying  a  little,  curly-haired  child  upon  his  shoulder, 
came  into  the  room.  At  sight  of  me  he  stopped,  almost 
started,  and  seemed  about  to  retire.  Before  he  could 
do  so,  the  maiden  went  forward  hastily,  and  spoke  to 
him  in  a  low  tone.  Thereupon  he  bowed,  and  came 
forward,  saying,  in  a  deep,  melancholy,  and  tremulous 
voice, — 

"You  are  welcome,  sir." 

The  man's  whole  demeanor  agreed  with  the  voice. 
Never  have  I  seen  a  human  being  the  victim,  ap 
parently,'  of  such  profound  and  hopeless  depression. 
There  was  something  sepulchral,  almost,  in  the  expres 
sion  of  his  long,  thin  face,  around  which  fell  hair  once 
black,  but  now  threaded  with  silver.  The  eyes  were 
sunken  in  their  sockets  and  surrounded  with  dark 
rings.  The  thin  lips  wore  an  expression  of  utter  dis 
couragement.  His  dress  was  simple,  and  not  striking 
in  any  particular, — that  of  a  retired  trader, — of  dark 
and  plain  stuff.  His  manner  in  advancing  was  almost 
painfully  hesitating  and  reluctant. 

"My  father,  sir,"  said  the  maiden,  whose  sadness 
remained  unchanged.  "I  have  explained  your  pres 
ence  ;  and  now  you  must  require  food,  sir.  You  shall 
have  the  best  our  poor  house  affords." 

The  maiden  proceeded  then  to  busy  herself  spread 
ing  food  upon  a  small  table,  and,  the  man  having  taken 
his  seat  opposite  me,  we  entered  into  conversation. 
Meanwhile,  the  child  played  about  the  room,  turning 
everything  upside  down  and  laughing  gleefully.  The 
melancholy  personage  followed  all  these  gambols  with 
a  glance  of  sorrowful  affection,  leaning  back  in  his 
chair;  when  all  at  once  I  saw  him  rise  quickly  and 


46  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

hasten  towards  the  child,  who  had  half  opened  the  door 
of  a  sort  of  closet  in  the  wall. 

The  man  dragged  him  back  quickly,  and  hastily 
closed  the  door.  As  he  did  so,  I  caught  what  appeared 
to  be  the  gleam  of  some  bright  steel  object,  and  I  know 
not  what  sombre  influence  this  abrupt  movement  of  the 
man  exerted  upon  me.  His  pale  face  had  flushed,  his 
bosom  heaved;  and,  glancing  accidentally  at  the  maiden, 
I  saw  that  she  was  trembling  and  seemed  about  to  burst 
into  tears. 

What  was  the  meaning  of  this  strange  scene?  I 
vainly  asked  myself  that  question.  The  man  offered  no 
explanation.  Resuming  his  seat,  and  holding  the  boy 
on  his  knee  now,  he  gradually  grew  composed  again, 
and  continued  the  conversation  in  which  we  had  been 
engaged  when  he  started  up.  It  had  related  to  the 
public  events  of  the  time,  and  the  struggle  going  on 
between  King  Charles  and  his  parliament. 

"  I  know  not  which  side  you  espouse,  sir,"  said  the 
man,  in  his  melancholy  and  tremulous  voice,  "but  I  con 
fess  to  you  that  my  sympathies  are  with  his  majesty." 

"And  mine;  but  would  he  were  well  out  of  this 
dangerous  conflict!" 

"  His  majesty  will  not  rid  himself  of  his  enemies 
until  force  is  employed." 

"Force?  Ah!  you  mean  the  exercise  of  the  royal 
right  to  try  and  punish.  But  that  is  perilous,  'tis  said. 
The  superior  strength  seems  on  the  other  side.  Witness 
Strafford,  on  Tower  Hill:  these  men  tore  him  from  the 
very  arms  of  the  king." 

At  the  name  of  Strafford  my  host  became  as  pale  as 
a  corpse. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  47 

"Yes,"  he  said,  in  an  almost  inaudible  voice. 

"  If  they  drank  the  blood  of  Strafford,  that  powerful 
and  resolute  enemy,  any  man's  head  in  the  kingdom 
may  fall.  "Pis  said  that  never  was  human  being  more 
resolute  than  he ;  and  the  story  is  that  his  eyes  opened 
and  his  lips  muttered  some  words  even  after  his  head 
was  severed." 

My  host's  pallor  had  become  fearful. 

"  'Tis  true,"  he  murmured.     "  I saw  him!" 

"You  were  present  at  his  execution?" 

"Yes." 

"  Sufficiently  near  to  see  plainly?" 

"  Sufficiently  near." 

"  Then  this  theory  that  life  continues  after  decapi 
tation  is  well  founded?" 

"Yes." 

The  voice  seemed  to  issue  from  some  sepulchral 
vault.  The  man's  eyes  were  fixed,  almost  stony. 

"Life  continues — for  hours  almost — after — decapi 
tation,"  he  said,  in  a  slow,  tremulous,  monotonous 
voice,  with  a  strange  absent  intonation,  as  though  the 
speaker  were  soliloquizing.  "The  brain,  when  the  neck 
is  severed,  is  like  a  besieged  fortress, — besieged,  but 
not  yet  taken ;  the  outposts  are  carried, — its  communi 
cations  are  cut  off, — but  life  is  there  still ; — the  facial 
muscles  act, — the  lips  move, — the  eyes  open, — the  vo 
lition  is  maimed,  but  not  paralyzed, — the  teeth  snap, — 
the  brows  contract.  I  have — seen  that !" 

He  stopped,  his  pale  face  bathed  in  cold  sweat.  At 
the  same  moment  the  maiden,  whose  cheeks  were  as 
wan  almost  as  the  speaker's,  came  to  him,  touched  his 
shoulder,  and  said,  in  a  faint  voice, — 


48  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"There,  father;  you  frighten  our  guest.  Supper  is 
ready." 

The  man  uttered  a  sigh  almost  as  profound  as  a 
groan.  The  maiden  placed  before  me  a  small  table, 
upon  which  food  was  arranged,  and,  looking  at  the 
man,  added, — 

"Your  supper,  father." 

He  shrank  back.  "  No,  Janet,"  he  murmured  ;  "  it 

would  be  disgraceful  thus  to  take  advantage  of " 

He  stopped. 

"True,"  the  maiden  said,  turning  away  with  a 
quivering  lip.  "  I  had  forgotten,  father.  I  thought 
that  kindness  offered  and  accepted  made  us  equal. 
Yes  !  yes  !  pardon  me  !  We  have  no  right  to ' ' 

The  rest  of  the  sentence  was  drowned  in  a  sob.  I 
could  scarce  swallow  a  few  mouthfuls.  The  strange 
scene  banished  all  desire  for  food.  I  rose,  and 
said, — 

"Thanks  for  your  hospitality,  sir;  and  yours,  my 
kind,  good  friend.  I  have  regained  all  my  strength 
now,  and  will  take  my  departure,  with  warm  thanks. 
You  have  saved  my  life,  I  think,  friends ;  and  Heaven 
will  reward  you." 

"  God  grant  it !"  came  from  the  man,  who  rose,  his 
hand  resting  tenderly  and  watchfully  on  the  bright 
head  of  the  child. 

"  Let  me  look  and  see  if  the  street  is  safe  before  you 
go,  sir,"  said  the  maiden. 

She  went  to  the  door,  and  returned  in  a  moment,  in 
forming  me  that  she  saw  no  one. 

I  put  on  my  beaver,  and,  going  to  the  door,  said, 
"Thanks,  friends,  again;  and  now  farewell." 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  49 

As  I  spoke,  I  extended  my  hand  towards  the  tall 
man,  but  he  suddenly  drew  back. 

"  I  cannot — touch  your  hand,  sir! — As  I  could  not 
sup  with  you " 

I  gazed  at  him  in  astonishment. 

"  It  would  be — disgraceful !" 

His  tones  were  broken,  and  the  words  seemed  forced 
from  him. 

"You  do  not  know  who  I  am, — and  yet  you  came 
near  knowing. — My  dear  child  opened  that  terrible 
closet  !" 

"The  closet?"  I  murmured,  overcome  with  astonish 
ment.  "  I  saw  nothing." 

"Nothing?" 

"  Save  what  appeared  to  be  the  gleam  of  steel." 

The  man  half  thrust  me  towards  the  door  behind  him. 
The  maiden  Janet  bent  down  weeping,  her  face  covered 
by  her  hands. 

"That  steel  was shall  I  tell  you,  sir?" 

A  sort  of  convulsion  passed  over  the  speaker's  face. 

"Speak!"  I  said,  almost  trembling. 

"It  was  the  axe  of  the  executioner  !  I  could  not  sit 
with  you  at  table,  or  take  your  hand  when  you  offered 
it.  I  am  Gregory  Brandon,  the  headsman  of  London  !" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  in  a  hoarse  and  stifled 
voice,  the  headsman  groaned.  A  moment  afterwards 
he  had  closed  the  door :  I  was  alone  in  the  dim-lit 
thoroughfare  :  from  behind  the  door  I  heard  a  second 
groan,  with  which  mingled  the  sobs  of  a  woman. 


So  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


XI. 

THE  CAVALIER  IN  PURPLE  VELVET. 

I  ISSUED  from  Rosemary  Lane,  passed  beneath  the 
shadow  of  the  Tower,  which  rose  grim  and  lugubrious 
above  the  houses,  reached  Whitehall,  mounted,  and 
returned  towards  Hampton  Court,  plunged  in  thought, 
and  overcome  by  the  strange  scene  which  I  had 
witnessed. 

I  had  been  the  guest  of  the  headsman  !  But  for  this 
terrible  person's  refusal  to  accept  the  hand  I  had  offered, 
my  own  would  have  clasped  the  bloody  palm  which 
had  severed  so  many  necks. 

I  shuddered  almost  at  the  thought, — living  over  the 
whole  scene  again.  The  hand  resting  so  tenderly  on 
the  bright  curls  of  the  child  had  struck  off  the  proud 
head  of  Strafford  !  Within  a  few  feet  of  me,  there  in 
that  mysterious  closet,  was  the  frightful  instrument 
which  had  so  often  cut  through  flesh,  blood-vessels,  and 
vertebrae,  from  whose  keen,  impassive  edge  human 
blood  had  so  often  been  wiped  !  Seated  opposite  me 
in  friendly  talk,  the  talk  of  guest  and  host,  was  the 
grim  human  being  who  had  entered  the  cell  of  the 
condemned  as  with  the  tramp  of  a  fate,  bound  the  firm 
or  trembling  arms,  hobbled  the  feet  with  the  inexora 
ble  cord,  and,  striking  the  victim  on  the  shoulder  when 
the  moment  came,  had  muttered,  in  his  hoarse  voice, 
"  You  belong  to  me  now  !" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  51 

All  the  way  to  Hampton  Court  I  was  thinking  of  my 
singular  adventure  ;  but  as  I  came  in  front  of  the  palace 
a  figure,  visible  through  one  of  the  tall  windows,  ban 
ished  every  other  thought.  It  was  the  figure  of  Frances 
Villiers,  standing  erect  in  the  full  light  of  the  flam 
beaux  flooding  the  apartment.  She  was  clad  in  rich 
brocade,  cut  low,  so  that  her  exquisite  neck  was  clearly 
revealed  ;  the  beautiful  head,  with  the  looped-up  pearls, 
was  bent  towards  one  fair  shoulder.  She  was  smiling 
with  her  habitual  expression  of  grave  sweetness,  and 
apparently  listening  to  some  one. 

I  drew  rein,  and,  concealed  beneath  the  shadow  of  a 
great  oak,  gazed  long  at  the  girl  who  had  now  become 
more  dear  to  me  than  my  life.  In  a  day,  an  hour,  as 
it  were,  I  had  come  to  love  her  with  all  the  power  of 
my  being.  She  had  waked  up  my  slumbering  heart, 
and  henceforward  I  felt  that  she,  and  she  alone,  was 
my  queen  ! 

Pardon  this  gush  of  romance,  friend, — 'tis  an  old 
gray-head  that  indulges  in  it.  Many  decades  have 
flown  since  then ;  I  am  aged,  and  the  bloom  of  life  is 
gone ;  but  I  remember,  and  will  until  I  die,  the  beau 
tiful  figure  I  gazed  on  that  night  through  the  windows 
of  the  palace  of  Hampton  Court. 

I  was  still  watching  the  exquisite  figure,  as  it  moved 
to  and  fro  in  attendance  on  the  queen,  when  a  sudden 
trampling  was  heard  in  the  great  avenue,  and  a  party 
of  horsemen,  three  or  four  in  number,  came  on  at 
headlong  speed. 

The  incident  aroused  me  from  my  reverie  with  some 
thing  like  a  shock.  Who  were  these  horsemen  who 
presumed  to  ride  in  so  careless  a  manner  towards  the 


5 2  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

palace  ?  It  was  lese-majeste,  almost,  to  pay  this  small 
respect  to  the  queen.  Could  some  partisans  of  the 
parliament  design  an  insult,  or  a  raid  on  the  deer? 
Resolved  to  know,  I  spurred  to  meet  them,  and,  inter 
posing  myself  in  the  way,  ordered  them  to  halt. 

No  attention  whatever  was  paid  to  my  order.  On 
the  contrary,  I  was  nearly  ridden  over.  A  cavalier, 
richly  clad  in  purple  velvet  slashed  with  satin,  a  deep 
lace  collar,  and  wearing  a  gray  beaver  with  a  feather, 
rushed  by  me  at  full  speed ;  the  rest  followed.  They 
all  clattered  to  the  great  gateway,  and  then  a  sudden 
commotion  followed,  to  ascertain  the  character  of 
which  I  hastened  to  the  palace. 

The  Guards  were  hastening  to  form  line,  and  every 
sword  was  brought  to  the  salute.  The  cavalier  in  the 
purple  velvet  habit  had  leaped  to  the  ground.  He  was 
a  person  of  middle  age,  with  curling  hair  worn  long, 
mustache  and  royale,  large,  mournful  eyes,  a  long,  thin 
face,  and  a  very  graceful  person.  There  was  some 
thing  commanding  in  his  air,  and  I  was  not  long  left 
in  doubt  as  to  his  identity.  The  palace  was  in  com 
motion  ;  figures  passed  and  repassed  hurriedly  in  the 
queen's  apartment,  at  which  I  had  been  gazing ;  then, 
as  the  cavalier  of  the  velvet  habit  gave  his  bridle  to 
one  of  his  attendant  gentlemen,  the  great  staircase 
suddenly  blazed,  the  flambeau-bearers  descended,  and 
in  the  midst  of  her  maids  of  honor,  gathered  round 
her  like  a  flock  of  doves,  her  majesty  the  queen  was 
seen  to  come  rapidly  down  the  staircase. 

As  she  came,  the  melancholy  face  of  the  cavalier  filled 
with  smiles.  It  was  the  expression  of  a  husband  who 
loves  his  wife  and  returns  after  long  absence.  He 


HER  MAJESTY   7 HE    QUEEN.  53 

hastened  towards  her  ;  they  met  in  the  full  light  of  the 
flambeaux,  and  were  clasped  in  a  close  embrace. 

"Sweet  heart!"  exclaimed  the  cavalier,  with  glow 
ing  cheeks. 

"  Dear  heart !"  was  the  queen's  response,  in  a  mur 
mur,  and  on  the  two  faces  I  could  see  the  sunshine  of 
the  heart. 

They  then  drew  back,  as  though  to  avoid  the  eyes 
of  those  around  them,  and  passed  up  the  great  stair 
case  between  a  double  line  of  lords  and  ladies,  her 
majesty  leaning  fondly  on  her  companion's  arm.  The 
light  of  the  flambeaux  fell  upon  them  in  a  sort  of 
glory.  They  disappeared,  and,  as  they  were  lost  sight 
of,  a  great  shout  rose,  rolling  through  the  palace, — 

"  Long  live  their  majesties  !" 

I  had  seen  King  Charles  I.  at  last.  He  had  left  his 
escort  on  the  road  from  Scotland,  mounted  his  horse 
like  a  common  cavalier,  and,  attended  by  only  a  few 
of  his  lords,  had  ridden  straight  to  Hampton  Court  to 
see  Queen  Mary. 


XII. 

THE   LITTLE   QUEEN. 

SCANDAL  said  that  their  majesties  had  not  been 
always  so  devoted,  or  at  least  that  furious  storms  had 
swept  the  matrimonial  skies. 

From  London,  the  young  king,  just  married  by 
proxy,  had  hastened  to  Dover  to  meet  the  little  queen 

r* 


54  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

of  sixteen ;  caught  her  in  his  arms  when  she  offered  to 
kneel;  and,  in  reply  to  her  address,  "  Sire,  I  am  come 
into  this  your  majesty's  country  to  be  at  your  com 
mand,"  exclaimed,  "You  have  not  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  enemies  and  strangers,  and  I  will  be  no  longer 
master  myself  than  while  I  am  servant  to  you."  And 
then  what  the  French  call  enfantillages  followed.  The 
king,  noticing  that  her  head  reached  to  his  shoulder, 
glanced  at  her  feet  to  ascertain  if  her  height  were  not 
due  to  her  high-heeled  shoes.  Whereupon  the  little 
queen  drew  aside  her  skirt,  exhibited  her  small  feet 
with  all  the  coquetterie  of  a  French  girl,  and  said, 
"Sire,  I  stand  on  my  own  feet;  I  have  no  help  from 
art :  thus  high  am  I,  neither  higher  nor  lower  !" 

This  joy  and  laughter  of  the  little  daughter  of  the 
famous  Henry  of  Navarre  was  truly  a  strange  contrast 
to  her  after-woes.  But  then  all  was  bright  and  smiling. 
The  fatal  conflicts  of  the  future  threw  no  shadows  before. 
The  youthful  pair  were  greeted  by  great  crowds  upon 
the  Thames,  and  feted  everywhere;  and  no  raven 
croaked  from  the  hollow  tree  to  interrupt  the  joy, 
romance,  and  sunshine  of  their  nuptials. 

I  have  'seen  the  portrait  of  Queen  Henrietta  at  this 
period,  painted  by  Vandyke,  and  the  face  and  form 
are  exquisite.  In  the  picture  she  has  a  fair  complexion, 
fine  dark  eyes,  and  hair  of  a  chestnut  color.  The 
slight  and  delicate  figure  is  clad  in  a  dress  of  white 
satin,  with  a  tightly-fitting  bodice  decorated  with  pink 
ribbon  ;  the  sleeves  full,  with  ruffles ;  the  arms  encir 
cled  by  bracelets.  Around  her  neck  she  wears  a  fine 
pearl  necklace ;  a  red  ribbon  twisted  with  pearls  is 
woven  amid  her  glossy  hair  behind  the  head.  'Tis  a 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  55 

gracious,  smiling  maiden,  full  of  youth  and  joy,  on 
whose  forehead  grief  has  never  cast  its  shadow. 

The  shadow  was  approaching :  private  infelicities 
preceded  the  public ;  the  fond  lovers  were  to  come  to 
angry  words,  and  criminations  and  recriminations. 

All  arose  from  the  Catholic  attendants  of  the  queen , 
who  fostered  in  every  manner  the  religious  differences 
between  the  pair,  and  went  so  far  as  openly  to  defy 
the  king.  Under  this  he  was  restive ;  and  one  morn 
ing  his  wrath  burst  forth.  He  came  to  the  queen's 
apartments  at  Whitehall,  and  found  the  French  ladies 
curveting  and  dancing  in  the  presence  of  her  majesty. 
The  scene  shocked  his  ideas  of  dignity  and  ceremony: 
he  took  the  hand  of  the  queen  and  conducted  her,  to 
his  own  apartment,  where  he  locked  her  majesty  in ; 
then  he  sent  word  by  Lord  Con  way  to  the  French 
ladies  to  leave  Whitehall  and  repair  to  Somerset  House, 
where  they  were  to  await  his  pleasure.  Thereupon 
rose  a  grand  lament  and  the  din  of  angry  female 
voices.  Loud  cries  arose ;  defiant  words  were  heard, — 
in  the  midst  of  which  a  guard  appeared,  and  with  little 
ceremony  caused  them  to  vacate  the  apartment,  the 
door  of  which  was  inexorably  locked  behind  them. 

A  sad  scene  ensued  between  their  majesties  there 
upon.  The  queen  ran  to  the  window  to  bid  her  dear 
French  attendants  farewell.  The  king  drew  her  back, 
saying,  "Be  satisfied;  it  must  be  so."  The  queen 
broke  from  him  and  rushed  to  the  window,  the  panes 
of  which  she  struck  so  violently  with  her  clenched 
hands  that  the  glass  flew  to  pieces  and  crashed  down 
into  the  court.  The  king  succeeded  at  last  in  drawing 
her  majesty  away  from  the  window, — the  shocking 


5 6  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

scene  ended, — and  the  king  wrote  his  grace  the  Duke 
of  Buckingham,  "I  command  you  to  send  all  the 
French  away  to-morrow  out  of  the  town, — if  you  can,  by 
fair  means,  but  stick  not  long  in  disputing ;  otherwise 
force  them  away,  driving  them  away  like  so  many  wild 
beasts,  until  you  have  shipped  them,  and  so  the  devil 
go  with  them." 

The  command  was  obeyed  :  in  the  midst  of  a  great 
mob,  hooting  at  and  cursing  the  Frenchwomen,  the 
ladies  were  ejected  from  Somerset  House.  They  re 
treated,  raging,  scolding,  gesticulating,  and  were  sent 
out  of  the  country.  The  king  had  conquered. 

There  were  other  painful  scenes.  The  king  himself 
related  how,  after  retiring  to  bed  with  her  majesty  one 
night,  they  had  a  passionate  altercation  as  to  the  ap 
pointment  of  the  queen's  revenue-officers.  Read  the 
narrative:  'tis  painful.  The  king,  falling  into  a  rage, 
bade  her  majesty  "remember  to  whom  she  spoke!" 
To  which  she  replied,  with  passionate  weeping,  that 
"she  was  not  of  such  base  quality  as  to  be  used  so!" 
There  is  a  long  distance,  you  see,  reader,  between  this 
state  of  things  and  the  scene  I  witnessed  at  Hampton 
Court.  In  the  one  case  it  is  husband  and  wife  squab 
bling  and  scolding  like  Jack  and  Gill  fallen  out ;  in 
the  other  it  is  the  fond  pair  embracing  each  other, 
with  "Dear  heart!"  "Sweet  heart!"  heard  between 
their  kisses ! 

We  old  people  have  seen  that  often  on  our  journey 
through  life  !  Alas !  men  and  women  grow  angry, 
are  unjust  and  unkind,  often  ;  but  happy  are  the  mar 
ried  pairs  who  truly  love  and  cherish  each  other.  The 
sunshine  comes  after  the  storm ;  all  clouds  disappear ; 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  57 

and  even  after  that  scene  in  which  their  majesties 
struggled  at  the  broken  window  in  Whitehall,  'tis  said 
that  the  king  and  queen  made  friends  speedily  and 
"were  very  jocund  together  !" 


XIII. 

MY  TRAVELING-COMPANION. 

I  WAS  sent  at  daylight  on  the  morning  succeeding 
the  king's  arrival,  to  bear  a  dispatch  to  Woodstock 
Palace  for  her  majesty,  and,  having  fulfilled  my  duty, 
determined  to  gallop  across  country  and  spend  an 
hour  with  my  father  at  Cecil  Court. 

I  shall  not  dwell  upon  this  visit,  which  was  a  very 
great  pleasure  to,  me, — home  events  are  not  of  interest 
to  all, — but  come  to  my  first  meeting  with  a  very  noble 
as  well  as  a  very  famous  man,  whom  I  encountered  on 
the  highway,  in  Buckinghamshire,  towards  evening,  on 
my  way  back  to  London. 

I  had  just  emerged  from  a  belt  of  woods,  and  saw 
the  sun  setting  across  the  beautiful  fields,  when  a  horse 
man  riding  in  front  of  me  attracted  my  attention,  and 
I  was  very  soon  beside  him. 

He  turned  his  head,  and  bade  me  good-day  so  cour 
teously  that  I  checked  my  horse's  speed  and  rode  on 
with  him.  He  was  a  man  of  middle  age,  clad  in  a 
rich  dark  pourpoint,  and  wearing  a  black  hat  and  ex 
cellent  riding-boots.  His  figure  was  lofty  and  com- 


5 8  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

manding ;  his  face  very  noble,  and  full  of  grave  cour 
tesy  and  sweetness.  When  he  spoke,  his  voice  had 
an  extraordinary  calmness  and  simplicity,  which  sim 
plicity  was  indeed  plain  in  every  detail  of  face,  figure, 
and  bearing. 

In  ten  minutes  I  felt  entirely  at  my  ease  with  the 
stranger,  and  we  rode  on  side  by  side,  conversing 
upon  public  events  with  perfect  freedom. 

"  His  majesty  has  returned  from  Scotland,"  said  my 
companion.  "I  am  glad  to  know  that :  her  majesty 
will  be  made  happy  by  seeing  him  again." 

I  smiled,  and  said,  "You  are  plainly  a  royalist,  and 
not  one  of  the  new  party,  sir." 

My  companion  smiled  in  his  turn.  "I  am  scarce  a 
royalist  in  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  term,  sir ;  but 
sure  'tis  a  pleasure  to  all  honest  men  to  know  that  a 
good  husband  is  safely  restored  to  his  wife,  and  to  con 
template  with  satisfaction  the  little  domestic  picture 
of  their  meeting." 

"  Assuredly  ;  and,  after  all,  the  king  is  not  perhaps  so 
black  as  he  is  painted." 

"  He  is  not,  sir.  It  is  the  vice  of  partisan  feeling  to 
drive  men  to  extremes.  His  majesty,  in  my  opinion, — 
to  be  frank, — has  committed  very  great  faults.  It  is 
scarce  too  harsh,  I  think,  to  say  that  his  conceptions 
of  the  royal  prerogative,  if  carried  out,  would  over 
turn  all  civil  liberty ;  but  that  is  no  proof  that  he  is 
cruel- or  licentious,  or  a  despot  from  love  of  despot 
ism."  The  words  were  uttered  with  great  sadness. 

"  Shall  I  imitate  your  frankness,  and  utter  my 
thought  plainly,  sir?"  I  said. 

"Surely." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  59 

"  Were  I  his  majesty,  then,  I  should  fear  adversaries 
holding  your  views  more  than  all  the  Pyms,  Cromwells, 
and  Hampdens  in  the  world." 

"The  Hampdens?"  asked  the  stranger,  smiling. 
"  Do  you  refer  to  Mr.  John  Hampden,  the  member 
from  Buckinghamshire?" 

"The  same,  sir." 

"  Is  he  so  violent  and  dangerous  a  personage?" 

"I  do  not  know  Mr.  Hampden,  but  such  is  his 
reputation." 

The  stranger  rode  on  for  some  moments  in  silence. 

"  I  had  not  supposed  that  Mr.  Hampden  bore  so 
bad  a  character,"  he  said,  at  length.  "What  are  the 
grounds,  I  pray  you,  sir,  of  such  an  opinion  of  that 
gentleman  ?" 

"  His  prominence  in  opposition  to  the  levying  of 
ship-money  by  his  majesty.  Mr.  Hampden  was  the 
first  person  of  high  position  who  opposed  the  royal 
prerogative." 

"True,"  the  stranger  said,  somewhat  sadly;  "and 
so  the  fellow-subjects  of  Mr.  Hampden — honorable 
gentlemen  —  think  him  violent,  and  a  demagogue  ! 
Pity  ! — but  may  we  not  regard  Mr.  Hampden's  mo 
tives  as  conscientious?" 

"  His  friends  do,  doubtless, — not  the  adherents  of 
his  majesty." 

"That  sums  up  all,  I  fear,  sir,"  the  stranger  returned  ; 
"  and  I  will  not  undertake  a  defense  of  Mr.  Hampden, — 
of  whom,  however,  it  may  be  said  with  truth  that  he 
risked  a  good  estate  rather  than  pay  twenty  shillings 
without  warrant  of  law  for  the  exaction.  Yes,  his 
friends  will  defend  him,  his  adversaries  denounce  him, 


60  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

as  you  say.  To  the  first,  he  is  a  sincere  lover  of  law 
and  liberty ;  to  the  second,  a  pestilent  demagogue, 
itching  for  notoriety  and  power.  So  be  it :  one  day 
his  true  character  will  doubtless  be  known." 

"  Meanwhile,  were  I  acquainted  with  Mr.  Hampden, 
I  think  I  should  give  him  some  advice,  sir,"  I  said. 

"And  pray  what  would  be  the  advice?"  my  com 
panion  said,  smiling  courteously. 

"  Not  to  act  with  Pym,  Ireton,  Cromwell,  and  other 
extremists,  who  are  ready  to  go  all  lengths." 

"'All  lengths'  is  a  strong  expression,  sir,"  the 
stranger  returned,  with  his  immovable  grave  sweetness. 
"  The  gentlemen  you  name  have  the  repute  of  aiming 
only  at  a  redress  of  grievances." 

"  They  will  not  stop  there." 

"  You  would  say " 

"  That  revolutions  begin  with  the  pen,  and  end  with 
the  sword, — and  shall  I  add  something  more  terrible  ?" 

"What?" 

"  With  violence :  the  cup  of  the  poisoner  or  the  axe 
of  the  headsman." 

My  companion  started,  and  his  countenance  grew 
cold  and  stern  in  an  instant.  A  flash  darted  from  his 
eyes,  and  his  cheek  became  pale. 

"  That  is  a  bitter  charge  against  good  men,"  he  said. 
"  What  induces  you  to  believe  that  any  living  English 
man  is  ready  to  turn  assassin  ?" 

"The  philosophy  of  revolutions,"  I  returned,  "and 
the  history  I  have  read." 

"  And  the  political  struggles  of  the  period  we  live 
in  may  result  in  the  death  of  his  majesty,  you  think, 
by  the  hands  of  his  own  subjects?" 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  61 

"  '  May'  has  many  meanings,  sir.  'Tis  not  impossi 
ble,— is  it?" 

My  companion  rode  on  without  uttering  a  word.  A 
mile  at  least  was  passed  over  thus,  in  profound  silence. 
Then  the  stranger  raised  his  head,  which  tiad  been 
drooping.  "You  have  broached  a  terrible  idea,"  he 
said  ;  "one  which  my  mind  never  up  to  this  time  enter 
tained.  I  will  not  discuss  it.  I  shrink  from  the  very 
thought  with  a  species  of  horror.  I  can  conceive  that 
Mr.  Cromwell  and  others  might  oppose  the  king, — even 
in  open  combat  on  the  field  of  battle,  perhaps ;  either 
side  may  inaugurate  that  struggle,  and  the  other  will 
accept  the  gage  of  defiance ;  but  that  the  king's  life 
can  ever  be  threatened  with  poison  or  the  executioner's 
axe  on  this  soil  of  England, — that,  sir,  I  will  never  be 
lieve,. — never  !  the  thought  is  too  frightful!" 

"  I  hope  'tis  only  my  fancy." 

"  And  I,  sir.  I  cannot  speak  for  others;  but  for  one 
of  those  you  have  named  I  can  answer  without  hesita 
tion.  He  might  oppose  the  king's  adherents — even 
the  king  himself — in  battle ;  but  he  would  sooner  lay 
down  his  own  life  than  touch  with  a  finger  the  person 
of  his  majesty.  I  can  answer  for  that  person,  I  say ; 
and  I  have  the  best  of  all  rights  to  do  so, — for  I  am 
that  John  Hampden  of  whom  we  have  spoken." 


62  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


XIV. 
I   MAKE   THE   ACQUAINTANCE   OF   MR.  CROMWELL. 

I  WAS  so  much  astonished  at  this  sudden  revelation 
of  the  identity  of  my  traveling-companion,  that  I  gazed 
at  him  in  stupid  silence. 

Thereupon  the  cordial  smile  returned  to  his  fine 
face,  and  he  said, — 

"  We  have  conversed  under  a  mask,  as  'twere,  sir  ; 
and  I  take  no  umbrage  at  the  opinions  you  have  ex 
pressed  of  a  certain  Mr.  Hampden.  I  confess,  even, 
that  the  maxim  noscitur  a  sociis  bears  with  some  justice 
upon  him,  and  perhaps  justifies  your  views  of  him.  But 
now  let  us  abandon  these  mooted  subjects.  We  differ 
in  political  views,  but  I  dare  to  say  that  you  are  as  true 
and  honest  an  English  gentleman  as  any.  I  would  fain 
claim  for  myself  the  same  character :  I  am  called  hos 
pitable  at  least,  and  there  is  my  house  through  the  oaks. 
Will  it  please  you,  sir — see,  the  sun  has  set — to  spend 
the  night  with  me?" 

I  refused,  and  then  accepted.  There  was  something 
so  gracious  and  noble  in  my  companion's  utterances 
that  I  could  not  resist. 

"Thanks,  Mr.  Hampden,"  I  said.  "I  accept  your 
hospitality  as  cordially  as  you  offer  it.  I  am  named 
Edmund  Cecil, — a  poor  guardsman  of  the  queen." 

"Of  the  Cecils  of  Warwickshire?" 

"The  same." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  63 

"  I  know  your  father  well,  and  esteem  him  highly, 
Mr.  Cecil.  But  here  is  my  poor  house." 

We  entered  a  great  park,  and  just  at  dusk  came  in 
front  of  a  large  and  handsome  manor-house,  built  in 
the  Elizabethan  style,  and  indicating  wealth  and  con 
sideration  in  its  proprietor. 

In  the  great  drawing-room  I  was  presented  to  Mr. 
Hampden's charming  household;  and  in  the  faces  which 
greeted  me  with  smiles,  as  in  all  the  appointments  of 
the  mansion,  I  observed  that  indefinable  grace  and  dis 
tinction  which  never  deceives. 

I  had  just  returned  the  hospitable  greetings  of  the 
amiable  family,  when  there  came  into  the  apartment  a 
robust  personage,  clad  in  a  dark  cloth  suit  entirely 
without  decoration,  heavy  boots  covered  with  dust,  and 
an  old  slouch  hat  discolored  by  sun  and  rain.  This 
personage,  despite  the  negligence  of  his  attire,  had  yet 
something  lofty  and  imposing  in  the  carriage  of  his 
person :  he  advanced  with  an  air  of  almost  haughty 
independence, — absorbed,  it  would  seem  from  the  ab 
sent  expression  of  his  large  eyes,  in  thoughts  wholly 
disconnected  from  his  surroundings. 

"The  terrible  Mr.  Cromwell!"  said  my  host,  in  a 
low  tone,  smiling  as  he  spoke.  And  I  was  presented 
to  the  personage  who  so  completely  justified  afterwards 
the  adjective  now  applied  to  him  in  jest. 

Mr.  Cromwell  saluted  me  in  an  absent  manner,  and 
then  removed  his  hat,  which  he  seemed  to  have  for 
gotten.  I  soon  learned  that  he  had  just  arrived  from 
Huntingdon,  riding  out  of  his  way,  to  accompany  Mr. 
Hampden,  his  cousin,  to  London ;  and  the  evening 
passed  in  desultory  conversation.  What  chiefly  im- 


64  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

pressed  me  in  this  afterwards  celebrated  man  was  his 
rough  earnestness,  the  pith  and  force  of  his  utterances, 
which  seemed  to  go  right  to  the  core  of  every  subject, 
and  the  occasional  employment  of  scriptural  names 
and  phrases  in  his  conversation.  I  never  before  heard 
Ahab,  Baal,  Og,  and  other  Biblical  personages  alluded 
to  with  such  frequency  or  apparent  gusto.  And  Mr. 
Cromwell  never  smiled  ;  he  was  profoundly  in  earnest, 
and  all  his  utterances  were  weighty.  Even  when 
relating  how  an  ape  had  snatched  him  from  his  cradle, 
when  an  infant,  and  borne  him,  chattering,  to  the  roof 
of  his  father's  house,  and  how  he  had  been  rescued 
from  drowning,  when  he  had  already  sunk  twice,  and 
his  nose  and  mouth  were  filled  with  water,  he  did  not 
indulge  in  the  faintest  approach  to  a  smile,  but  gar 
nished  those  narratives,  like  the  rest  of  his  discourse, 
with  names  and  allusions  from  the  Old  Testament 
Scriptures. 

This  culminated  when  at  bedtime  he  offered  up  a 
prayer.  It  was  an  extraordinary  prayer,  deeply  earnest 
and  devout ;  I  might  almost  say  passionate  in  its  evi 
dent  outpouring  from  his  inmost  heart ;  but  here  too 
were  the  inevitable  Old  Testament  names  and  refer 
ences.  When  Mr.  Cromwell  rose  from  his  knees,  after 
his  long  and  fervent  prayer,  his  eyes  were  as  dreamy  as 
though  fixed  upon  another  world :  he  scarcely  returned 
the  addresses  of  the  family,  and  retired  from  the  room 
with  the  absent  air  of  one  who  is  walking  in  his  sleep. 

Such  was  the  appearance  of  this  extraordinary  per 
son  on  that  evening.  He  was  commonplace ;  he  became 
terrible.  He  wore  plain  cloth;  he  came  to  wear  royal 
velvet.  He  was  then  Mr.  Cromwell,  unknown  save  as 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  65 

a  country  member ;  he  was  to  become  known  through 
out  the  world  as  the  slayer  of  King  Charles  L,  the  Lord 
Protector  of  England,  and  one  of  the  greatest  sovereigns 
that  ever  sat  upon  the  English  throne. 

On  the  next  morning  I  bade  Mr.  Hampden  and  his 
excellent  household  farewell,  and,  riding  rapidly  to 
make  u^  for  lost  time,  arrived  late  in  the  evening  at 
Hampton  Court. 


XV. 

A   COMBAT   BY   MOONLIGHT. 

As  I  dismounted  in  the  court-yard  of  the  palace, 
Harry  came  out  and  hugged  me  after  the  French 
fashion  introduced  by  the  followers  of  her  majesty. 

"  Here's  a  laggard  !"  cried  Harry.  "  What  was  the 
attraction  at  Woodstock,  Ned?  Did  you  lose  your 
self  in  the  labyrinth  built  to  hide  Fair  Rosamond?" 

"I  don't  believe  there  is  any  labyrinth,  Harry;  and 
I've  been  to  Cecil  Court." 

I  proceeded  to  give  my  brother  news  of  home,  and 
to  describe  my  meeting  with  Mr.  Hampden ;  then, 
seeing  signs  of  unwonted  activity  in  the  palace,  I  asked 
their  meaning. 

"  His  majesty  is  to  make  his  royal  entry  into  Lon 
don  to-morrow.  You  are  just  in  time,  Ned.  We're 
all  going, — Guards,  courtiers,  maids  of  honor,  dwarfs, 
and  all!" 

6* 


66       HER  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN. 

"Dwarfs?" 

"  I  mean  that  his  worship  Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson,  now 
become  a  great  favorite  with  her  majesty,  will  grace  the 
occasion  with  his  presence,  no  less  than  the  largest  of 
us.  And  do  you  know,  Ned,  this  little  manikin  and 
mere  hop-o'-my-thumb  is  a  decided  character?" 

"  I  should  think  as  much." 

"  I  mean  that  he  is  no  mere  plaything,  weak  in  head 
as  in  body,  like  the  rest  of  his  pigmy  species,  but  a  man 
in  feeling,  and  in  brain  too, — grave,  serious,  and  cour 
ageous.  His  deformity  is  a  source  of  deep  mortifica 
tion  to  him ;  and  when  the  maids  of  honor  caress  him 
lap-dog  fashion,  he  looks  at  them  as  though  he  would 
bite  them,  uttering  a  singular  sort  of  snarl,  and  plainly 
resents  their  treatment  of  him  as  though  he  were  a 
plaything." 

"And  towards  the  men?" 

"  He  is  stern  and  bitter.  'Tis  the  fashion  to  tease 
him ;  and  that  sallow-faced  Coftangry  of  the  Guards 
takes  the  lead.  Hark  !  there  they  are  in  the  guard 
room  now.  I  hear  the  piping  voice  of  the  dwarf  and 
the  gibing  tones  of  Coftangry.  Let  us  go  see  !" 

We  entered  the  guard-room,  where  a  singular  spec 
tacle  presented  itself.  Some  young  noblemen  of  the 
Guards — for  half  the  company  were  lords — -were  stand 
ing  in  a  circle  around  some  object  upon  the  floor, 
which  I  made  out  on  a  nearer  approach  to  be  the  figure 
of  the  dwarf.  The  manikin,  who  was  less  than  two 
feet  in  height,  wore  a  very  rich  costume, — velvet  cloak, 
plumed  beaver,  silk  stockings,  and  high-heeled  shoes 
with  large  rosettes.  At  his  side  hung  a  miniature  dress 
sword,  about  the  length  of  a  knitting-needle ;  and  his 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  67 

face  flamed  with  anger,  as  he  fixed  his  eyes  spitefully 
upon  a  tall,  sallow-faced  young  gentleman  with  a 
sneering  expression  of  countenance,  who  was  teasing 
the  pigmy  for  the  general  amusement. 

"Come,  come,  your  knightship,"  said  Coftangry, 
with  a  sneer ;  "  dance  a  galliard  for  our  entertainment. 
Hop,  hop,  Sir  Hop-o'-my-thumb!" 

"Were  I  a  lady,  sir,"  said  the  dwarf,  in  his  thin, 
piping  voice,  "  I  know  what  I  never  should  do." 

"What  is  that,  pray?" 

"  I  should  never  hop  in  a  galliard  with  such  a  tallow- 
faced  anatomy  as  yourself!" 

The  retort  raised  a  loud  laugh.  Coftangry  was  im 
mensely  unpopular,  and  the  dwarf  had  touched  his 
tender  point, — his  lath-like  body  and  sallow  com 
plexion. 

"  'Twas  but  yesterday,"  piped  the  dwarf,  "that  I 
overheard  two  of  her  majesty's  maids  of  honor  con 
versing.  One  said,  '  Who  is  this  Coftangry,  and  how 
do  such  people  get  to  court?'  '  I  know  not,'  returned 
the  other,  '  unless  they  are  dug  up  and  brought  as 
curiosities.'  " 

A  second  laugh  came  from  the  group,  and  Coft 
angry  grew  furious. 

"If  you  were  not  a  wretched  pigmy,"  he  cried, 
losing  his  self-possession  and  giving  way  to  anger,  "I 
would  chastise  you  upon  the  spot !" 

The  dwarf  bounded  with  rage. 

"  Chastise  me?  You  dare  not  attempt  it !  I  wear  a 
sword  !"  he  shrilled. 

"Ha,  ha!"  came  from  Coftangry;  in  forced  merri 
ment  ;  "a  skewer,  you  would  say  !" 


68  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

The  dwarf  whipped  out  his  weapon,  and  the  circle 
suddenly  widened. 

"No  fighting  in  the  palace,  gentlemen  !"  cried  one 
of  the  young  noblemen,  with  mock  earnestness. 

"True,"  the  dwarf  growled,  returning  his  sword  to 
its  scabbard;  "but  this  tallow-face  has  gibed  at  me, 
and  I  return  his  insult — thus  !" 

With  incredible  agility,  the  pigmy  leaped  upon  a 
chair,  thence  to  the  long  table  near,  and,  before  Coft- 
angry  divined  his  intention,  bestowed  a  violent  slap 
upon  the  Guardsman's  face.  It  was  delivered  with  all 
the  energy  of  hatred,  and  rang  through  the  apartment. 
Coftangry  uttered  a  cry  of  rage. 

"  Woe  to  you,  cur  !"  he  shouted  ;  and  he  was  about 
to  smite  the  erect  and  defiant  dwarf  to  the  earth,  when 
a  hand  was  laid  on  his  shoulder,  and  Harry's  voice 
said, — 

"You  don't  mean  to  strike  that  little  man,  I  hope, 
sir?  You  will  exterminate  him  !" 

"Who  are  you?"  growled  Coftangry,  wheeling 
round. 

"  My  name  is  Cecil,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

"  Well,  I  counsel  you,  Mr.  Cecil,  to  attend  to  your 
own  affairs  !" 

Harry  flushed  red,  and  went  close  to  Coftangry. 

"I  make  this  my  affair,  sir,"  he  said,  "since  'tis 
always  the  business  of  a  gentleman  to  protect  the  weak 
from  outrage." 

"You  shall  answer  for  this  intrusion  !" 

"I  am  quite  willing  to  do  so,  sir,"  said  Harry,  in  a 
low  tone.  "The  moon  is  shining;  there  is  the  park; 
five  minutes'  walk  will  take  us  out  of  view." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN,  69 

Coftangry  had,  apparently,  not  expected  a  proposi 
tion  so  sudden  and  direct.  He  was  silent  for  a  moment, 
and  became  very  pale,  but  he  saw  that  all  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  him.  The  consequence  was  that  fifteen 
minutes  afterwards  Harry  and  himself  were  standing 
opposite  each  other,  sword  in  hand,  in  a  remote 
portion  of  the  park,  a  number  of  the  Guardsmen 
having  accompanied  the  adversaries  to  witness  the 
encounter. 

Such  affairs  were  at  that  time  of  every-day  occur 
rence,  and  seldom  resulted  in  more  than  a  few  scratches, 
when  the  friends  of  the  parties  would  declare  that 
honor  was  satisfied. 

Such  was  the  result  on  this  occasion.  It  was  a  sin 
gular  encounter, — a  very  burlesque.  Harry  lunged, 
expecting  his  opponent  to  parry.  He  did  nothing  of. 
the  sort,  and  Harry  ran  his  sword-hand  on  Coftangry's 
point,  wounding  himself. 

"  'Tis  plain  you're  no  swordsman,  sir ;  I  will  there 
fore  disarm  without  hurting  you,"  said  my  brother. 

As  he  spoke,  Coftangry's  rapier  flew  twenty  paces, 
and  Harry  coolly  returned  his  sword  to  its  scabbard. 

"Take  your  life,  sir,"  he  said  ;  "I  have  no  use  for 
it.  Good-evening,  sir." 

And,  winding  a  handkerchief  around  his  bleeding 
hand,  he  left  the  spot,  accompanied  by  his  friends. 

Such  was  the  termination  of  the  impromptu  duel ; 
beginning  and  ending  in  a  few  minutes,  under  the 
moonlight  in  Hampton  Court  park.  I  have  spoken 
of  it  because  it.  was  the  preface  to  a  duel  with  more 
deadly  results ;  but  that  incident  will  be  narrated  in  its 
place. 


7o  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN". 

I  pass  to  the  king's  entry  into  London  now,  and  to 
the  great  and  unfortunate  events  which  marked  the  few 
succeeding  days. 


XVI. 

SIR  THEODORE   MAYHERNE. 

THE  royal  entry  into  London  was  an  imposing  pa 
geant.  The  king  rode  in  front  on  horseback,  reining 
in  his  spirited  charger,  decorated  with  rich  housings ; 
and  on  his  left  hand  rode  the  Prince  of  Wales,  after 
wards  his  majesty  Charles  II.,  at  that  time  a  handsome 
boy  of  eleven. 

Behind  the  king  came  the  queen,  in  her  state-coach 
drawn  by  six  white  horses,  their  heads  and  backs  sur 
mounted  by  nodding  plumes.  And  in  the  royal  coach 
also  rode  the  children  of  her  majesty,  bright-faced 
little  ones,  looking  with  ardent  interest  upon  the  crowd. 
Then  came  the  coaches,  with  the  royal  suite ;  behind,  the 
Guards ;  last  of  all  a  vast  multitude  following,  crowd 
ing  close,  and  shouting,  "  God  save  the  king  !" 

'Tis  impossible  to  recall  this  scene,  when  that  cry 
was  heard  for  the  last  time,  without  sadness  and  a 
sinking  of  the  heart.  Alas  !  the  dark  hours  were  com 
ing,  the  shadow  was  even  then  descending  upon  those 
human  beings. 

The  procession  reached  Whitehall  and  disappeared; 
then  the  crowd  dispersed. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  71 

I  was  just  unbuckling  my  sword,  when  Harry,  who 
had  entered  the  guard-room  of  the  palace  a  moment 
before  me,  said, — 

"This  hand  of  mine  hurts  confoundedly,  Ned! 
Serves  me  right  for  fighting  with  that  awkward  cub 
Coftangry  !  It  is  swelling.  I  wish  you  would  go  ask 
my  friend  Sir  Theodore  Mayherne  to  come  look  at  it." 

"  Sir  Theodore  Mayherne,  Harry?     Who  is  he?" 

"Their  majesties'  household  physician,  and  a  great 
friend  of  mine.  He  lives  in  Gray's  Inn  Lane,  and  is 
a  perfect  wolf,  but  an  excellent  surgeon  and  gentle 
man." 

I  set  off  at  once  to  find  the  wolf,  and  soon  reached 
Gray's  Inn  Lane,  where  I  was  directed  to  a  handsome 
house  and  admitted  by  a  servant  in  black.  A  moment 
afterwards,  a  portly  personage,  with  long  gray  hair  fly 
ing  about  his  face,  and  the  air  of  a  lion  interrupted  in 
his  repast,  entered  the  room  like  a  hurricane. 

"Your  pleasure,  sir!"  thundered  the  lion,  wolf,  or 
hurricane, — whichever  the  reader  pleases. 

"Sir  Theodore  Mayherne,  I  believe,  sir?" 

"  An  absurd  question  !     Who  else  could  I  be?" 

I  smiled.  "You  might  be  a  thunder-storm  !  if  that 
response  be  not  too  unceremonious,  Sir  Theodore." 

"Unceremonious?  Not  a  bit !  I  hate  ceremony! 
A  thunder-storm?  Ha!  ha  !"  And  the  portly  person 
shook.  "That  is  the  way  I  like  people  to  talk  to  me," 
he  added:  "it's  natural,  expresses  the  thought.  I'm  sick 
of  mincing  and  cant,  and  bowing  and  scraping,  and 
French  ways  !  What's  your  business?" 

I  saw  that  I  had  to  do  with  an  original  who  liked 
coming  to  the  point. 


7  2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Harry  Cecil,  of  the  queen's  guards,  has  hurt  his 
hand  in  a  duel,  and  wishes  you  to  come  look  at  it." 

"  Harry  Cecil ! — a  crack-brained  jackanapes!  What 
the  devil  have  I  to  do  with  Harry  Cecil?  'Tis  as  much 
as  I  can  do  to  patch  up  her  majesty's  nerves,  broken 
down  by  her  popish  fasts  and  vigils  and  penances 
and  all  the  rest  of  their  devil's  inventions  !" 

I  rose  and  bowed.  "Thanks,  Sir  Theodore.  I  will 
tell  Harry  you  are  coming,  then."  The  thunder-storm 
looked  at  me  with  a  lurking  smile.  "  He  is  at  White 
hall,"  I  added. 

"Well,  I'll  come!  These  scatterbrains,  with  their 
roystering  and  fighting,  and  drinking  and  swearing, — 
mark  my  words,  sir,  the  canting  rascals  of  parliament 
will  clip  their  love-locks !  Harry  Cecil  is  one  of  the 
worst  of  them, — your  brother,  from  the  likeness,  no 
doubt, — a  pestilent  rascal!"  And,  turning  his  back 
upon  me  abruptly,  Sir  Theodore  Mayherne,  physician 
to  their  majesties,  disappeared  from  the  apartment. 


XVII. 

I  VISIT  A  GENTLEMAN  AFTERWARDS  FAMOUS  THROUGH 
OUT  THE  WORLD. 

I  LEFT  the  house  of  the  original  character  with  whom 
I  had  thus  become  acquainted,  and  was  walking  along 
Gray's  Inn  Lane  on  my  way  back  to  Whitehall,  when 
there  came  forth  from  a  handsome  house  a  tall  and 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  73 

noble-looking  gentleman,  in  whom  I  recognized  at  once 
my  host  of  Buckinghamshire,  Mr.  Hampden. 

"Give  you  good-day,  Mr.  Cecil,"  he  said,  grasping 
my  hand  with  cordial  regard:  "it  seems  our  fate  to 
encounter  each  other.  What  brings  you  to  Gray's  Inn 
Lane,  where  I  reside,  on  this  chill  morning?" 

I  explained  my  mission,  and  Mr.  Hampden  shook 
his  head. 

"  You  young  gentlemen  are  too  fond  of  that  sword- 
amusement,  I  fear,"  he  said;  "but  'tis,  unfortunately, 
out  of  my  power  to  preach  at  length  on  this  vice.  I 
once  practiced  it." 

"Is  it  possible?"  I  said,  smiling;  "the  grave  and 
serious  Mr.  Hampden,  of  the  parliament?" 

"  He  was  once  as  bad  as  the  worst,  Mr.  Cecil !  Let 
us  be  honest !  And  I  think  even  my  good  cousinjCrom- 
well  must  plead  guilty  to  the  same  charge." 

"  Mr.  Cromwell !  that  enthusiast  in  matters  of  re 
ligion  !" 

"Was  in  his  youth  a  roystering  blade,  fond  of 
catches  at  midnight  and  the  foam  of  flagons!  Thus 
you  see,  Mr.  Cecil,  neither  the  grave  Mr.  Hampden 
nor  the  pious  Mr.  Cromwell  can  with  a  very  good 
grace  preach  peace  and  order  to  the  young  gentle 
men  of  this  generation  !  I  know  but  one  person  who 
seems  to  me  immaculate, — a  young  man  whose  genius 
will  render  his  name  more  famous  than  all  others  of 
his  epoch.  He  lives  in  Aldersgate  Street,  and  I  am 
going  to  visit  him.  Will  it  please  you  to  accompany 
me?" 

"With  great  pleasure,"  I  said;  and  ten  minutes' 
walk  brought  us  to  a  small  house,  set  in  a  contracted 
D  7 


74  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

garden.  From  within  the  house  was  heard  the  sound 
of  an  organ. 

"Our  friend  is  playing  upon  his  organ:  'tis  his 
favorite  entertainment,"  said  my  companion.  "I 
will  use  no  ceremony,  and  enter,  since  he  would  never 
hear  our  knocking." 

He  opened  the  door  as  he  spoke,  and  led  the  way  to 
an  apartment  on  the  right  of  the  entrance.  It  was 
poorly,  almost  meanly,  furnished  ;  in  one  corner  stood 
a  small  erect  organ  with  green  hangings  above,  and  at 
this  organ  sat  a  man  of  about  thirty,  playing  a  devo 
tional  piece, xin  which  he  was  so  absorbed  as  not  to 
notice  our  entrance. 

Mr.  Hampden  approached  and  touched  him  on  the 
shoulder.  He  turned  his  head,  and  I  never  saw  a  face 
of  more  delicate  beauty.  The  eyes  were  large  and 
thoughtful ;  the  lips  thin,  with  an  expression  of  grave 
austerity ;  the  cheeks  rosy,  the  high  forehead  as  fair  as 
a  woman's,  and  around  this  beautiful  countenance  fell 
long  fair  hair,  parted  in  the  middle  and  reaching  to  the 
shoulders. 

He  rose,  and  bowed  with  grave  courtesy,  taking  Mr. 
Hampden's  offered  hand. 

"  I  have  brought  my  friend  Mr.  Cecil  to  see  you, 
Mr.  Milton,"  said  my  companion. 

Mr.  Milton  repeated  his  salute. 

"Of  her  majesty's  Guards,  I  believe,  sir,"  he  said, 
glancing  at  my  uniform.  "  I  witnessed  the  royal 
entry  to-day, — a  very  imposing  spectacle." 

"You?"  said  Mr.  Hampden.  "  Then  wonders  will 
never  cease.  I  had  supposed  you  safe  at  home  here, 
composing  your  poems  or  treatises,  Mr.  Milton.  What 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  75 

fancy  now  possesses  you,  and  when  will  you  carry  out 
your  design  of  writing  your  epic  on  paradise  lost  by 
our  first  parents?" 

Mr.  Milton  shook  his  head  somewhat  sadly. 

"Never,  I  fear,"  he  replied. 

"Are  you  afraid  that  our  father  Adam  would  not 
support  you  in  your  favorite  theory?" 

"What  is  that,  Mr.  Hampden  ?" 

"Polygamy — that  'tis  allowed  in  the  Scriptures." 

"  Do  you  deny  that  it  is  therein  taught?  The  proof 
is  very  easy,"  said  Mr.  Milton,  quietly. 

"And  so  you,  Mr.  Milton,  I,  and  our  friend  Mr. 
Cecil  have,  each  and  all  of  us,  the  right  to  espouse  two, 
or  ten,  or  twenty  wives,  if  we  fancy?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Milton  ;  and  he  was  going  to  open 
an  Old  Testament  Scriptures,  when  his  friend  stopped 
him,  smiling. 

"  I  fear  you  will  corrupt  our  consciences,  my  worthy 
sir.  We  are  not  of  the  line  of  the  patriarchs.  Let  us 
leave  polygamy  and  return  to  letters.  You  are  en 
gaged  in  composing  something  other  than  political,  I 
trust.  'Tis  so  wearisome,  that  species  of  discussion. 
Ah  !  here  are  some  sheets.  Is  it  permitted  me  to  look 
at  them?" 

Mr.  Milton  made  a  movement  with  his  hand. 

"  'Tis  only  some  rhymes  of  the  woods  and  fields," 
he  said.  "  I  please  myself  in  the  din  of  this  great  city 
by  thus  returning  to  my  youth  in  fancy." 

Mr.  Hampden  had  taken  up  the  written  sheets,  and 
now  read  aloud  in  his  deep  and  musical  voice  a  truly 
exquisite  passage  from  the  afterwards  celebrated  poem 
styled  "L' Allegro,"  a  name  no  doubt  bestowed  upon 


76  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

it  in  consequence  of  Mr.  Milton's  fondness  for  the 
Italian  tongue.  The  reader  was  plainly  an  expert  in 
the  difficult  art  of  managing  the  human  voice.  A 
charming  sweetness  marked  his  intonation,  and  the 
glow  upon  his  cheeks  indicated  the  admiration  with 
which  the  lines  of  the  poet — yet  unknown — inspired 
him. 

The  reading  ended,  and  I,  at  least,  was  silent  from 
admiration.  I  think  Mr.  Hampden  was  pleased  with 
this  expression  of  my  face ;  for  he  said  to  me, — 

"Is  not  that  pure  music,  sir?" 

He  turned,  as  he  spoke,  to  Mr.  Milton,  and  said,  in 
his  deep  rich  voice, — 

"  'Tis  truly  like  a  breath  from  the  fields  of  Eng 
land,  Mr.  Milton,  and  the  melody  to  my  ear  is  wonder 
ful.  But 

1  Sweetest  Shakspeare,  fancy's  child, 
Warbles  his  native  wood-notes  wild," 

does  injustice  to  greater  men,  I  think, — to  Mr.  Beau 
mont,  Mr.  Fletcher,  and  rare  Ben  Jonson." 

"  Such,  I  know,  is  the  common  opinion,  Mr.  Hamp 
den,"  said  the  other;  "but  I  cannot  share  it.  The 
brain  that  originated  'The  Tempest'  and  conceived 
the  wonderful  tragedy  of  '  Hamlet,  Prince  of  Den 
mark,'  is,  to  my  thinking,  the  greatest  in  our  English 
letters.  Others  are  tall ;  Shakspeare  is  a  giant,  me- 
thinks.  I  would  be  content,  wellnigh,  to  have  reached 
gray  hairs  could  I  have  seen  and  talked  with  him." 
I  said  with  a  smile,  when  my  host  thus  spoke, — 
"I  think  my  father  would  exchange  ages  with  you 
upon  that  understanding,  Mr.  Milton.  We  live  near 
Stratford-on-Avon,  and  Mr.  Shakspeare  was  a  good 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  77 

friend  of  my  father  when  the  latter  was  young.  He 
often  came  to  Cecil  Court,  as  our  house  is  named,  and 
was  excellent  company,  and  full  of  smiles  and  sweet 
ness,  I'm  told.  You  cannot  know  him  now,  since  he 
is  long  dead;  but  if  you  will  visit  us  you  shall  sit  in 
the  chair  he  was  accustomed  to  use,  drink  from  his 
favorite  cup,  and  see  his  name  which  he  wrote  with 
his  own  hand  on  a  window-pane." 

"That  would  please  me  greatly,  sir;  but  I  am  a 
prisoner  here,  I  fear.  I  teach  children  for  bread,  and 
the  birds  have  flown  but  recently.  You  must  go?" 
for  I  had  risen  some  moments  before.  "  Thanks  for 
your  visit,  Mr.  Cecil,"  said  Mr.  Milton;  and,  con 
ducting  me  to  the  door,  he  made  me  a  bow  of  much 
grace,  in  which  he  was  imitated  by  Mr.  Hampden, 
who  remained. 

Such  was  my  first  interview  with  the  afterwards 
famous  author  of  "Paradise  Lost,"  a  poem  so  grand 
that  its  fame  must  extend  throughout  the  world.  I 
afterwards  read  with  wonder  those  august  verses,  and 
thought  of  the  long-haired  young  author.  His  "  Co- 
mus"  and  "L' Allegro"  and  "II  Penseroso"  pleased 
me  even  more.  The  latter,  published  a  few  years  after 
wards,  have  a  singular  charm  for  me.  In  reading  them, 
even  now,  a  delightful  freshness  exhales  from  them ;  I 
fall  to  dreaming  under  the  influence  of  that  exquisite 
music,  and  forget  the  bitterness  of  the  political  partisan 
in  my  admiration  of  the  sublimest  of  the  English  poets. 


78  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

XVI 1 1. 
A   MOONLIGHT   COLLOQUY,    AND   WHAT    FOLLOWED    IT. 

I  RETURNED  to  Whitehall;  and  on  the  same  night 
occurred  an  incident  which  revealed  to  me  the  secret 
springs  of  one  of  those  events  which  overturn  mon 
archies. 

It  was  nearly  midnight,  and  I  was  passing  beneath 
the  trees  of  St.  James's  Park,  near  the  palace,  when 
the  figures  of  two  persons  approached,  and  by  the 
bright  moonlight  I  could  see  that  they  were  in  ani 
mated  conversation. 

"  I  swear  to  your  majesty  that  I  speak  upon  sure 
information  !"  said  the  voice  of  Lord  Digby.  I  recog 
nized  it  without  difficulty,  though  the  speaker  was 
greatly  moved. 

"  'Tis  impossible!"  replied  the  voice  of  the  king, 
which  was  equally  unmistakable.  "  Impeach  the  queen  ? 
Wherefore?  'Twould  be  too  infamous  and  absurd, 
Digby!" 

"Infamous?     Yes,  your  majesty  !   But  absurd?" 

"  Have  they  aught  against  her?" 

The  other  was  silent. 

"Speak!"  the  king  said.  " Whereon  can  impeach 
ment  of  her  majesty  rest?" 

"  Will  your  majesty  permit  me  to  speak  without 
ceremony?" 

"Yes;   speak  plainly!    You  rack  me,  Digby!     My 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  79 

heart  sinks.    Speak  !  How  and  why  should  these  people 
impeach  my  wife?" 

"  Her  majesty  is  a  papist,  sire." 
"  Content ! — but  that  is  naught.     What  more?" 
"  She  is  striving  to  convert  her  husband  !" 
"  "Pis  false  !     She  has  never   attempted   any  such 
thing!" 

"They  profess  to  believe  it,  no  less,  your  majesty." 
"  They  will  profess  to  believe  anything  to  my  preju 
dice  or  hers!     Aught  more?" 

"  They  declare  that  your  alleged  attacks  on  the 
privileges  of  parliament  are  in  consequence  of  her 
majesty's  arguments,  and  from  the  fact  that  you  cannot 
resist  her  appeals." 

"False!"  false!  All  false,  Digby !  Woe  to  these 
slanderers !" 

"They  are  powerful,  your  majesty." 
"I  will  show  them  that  I  too  am  powerful." 
"  Beware,  sire !    Let  an  humble  subject  speak  plainly. 
They  will  crush  you!" 

"Crush  me?  'Tis  well,  Digby.  I  will  save  them 
the  trouble  by  first  crushing  them/'1 

I  had  drawn  aside  to  permit  the  king  and  his  com 
panion  to  pass.  Lost  in  the  shadow,  they  did  not  per 
ceive  me;  but  I  could  see  the  king's  expression  of  wrath, 
and  Digby's  unconcealed  joy,  as  the  moonlight  fell 
upon  their  faces. 

"  I  will  strike  at  the  leaders  in  this  infamous  scheme !" 

exclaimed  the  king.      "  I  have  the  names  here  in  my 

heart  !"     He  struck  his  breast  as  he  spoke.     "  From 

this  moment  I  swear  to  strike  them  without  mercy !" 

As  the  king  spoke,  he  passed  beyond  hearing,  and  a 


80  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

moment  afterwards  the  two  figures  had  disappeared  in 
the  palace.* 

Shall  I  relate  what  followed  the  incident  in  St.  James's 
Park?  This  is  not  a  history  of  the  reign  of  King 
Charles  I. ;  I  would  not  repeat  what  is  contained  in  the 
great  histories, — above  all,  would  not  discuss  the  squab 
bles  of  king  and  parliament.  But  a  few  words  are 
necessary  here,  to  explain  after-events.  It  was  King 
Charles  who  defied  his  enemies  first,  and  in  a  manner 
most  weak  and  imprudent. 

In  brief  words,  his  majesty  sent  one  of  his  household 
to  prefer- a  charge  of  treason  against  five  prominent 
members  of  the  parliament.  On  the  next  day  he  de 
manded  the  persons  of  the  five ;  and,  the  parliament 
refusing  to  surrender  them,  the  king  proceeded  at  the 
head  of  an  armed  guard  to  arrest  them  in  person. 

It  is  said  that  the  gods  make  lunatics  of  those  whom 
they  are  going  to  destroy.  His  majesty  was  acting 
illegally,  he  was  also  acting  madly.  Time  never  was 
when  a  king  of  England  was  an  irresponsible  despot, 
unchecked  by  any  law  and  competent  to  seize  upon 
the  persons  of  its  representatives.  As  yet,  however, 
respect  for  the  kingly  authority  was  great ;  and  it  was 
thought  best  by  the  parliament  that  the  five  members 
should  escape.  Time  was  given  them  for  this  by  the 
intrigues  of  Lady  Carlisle,  the  black-eyed  Venus  whom 
I  had  seen  at  Hampton  Court.  The  king  had  just  left 

*  Lingard,  the  parliamentary  historian,  alludes  to  the  proposed  im 
peachment  of  the  queen.  He  says,  "  Some  hints  had  been  dropped 
by  the  patriots  of  an  impeachment  of  the  queen ;  the  information  was 
conveyed  to  Charles,  and  urged  him  to  the  hazardous  expedient  of 
arresting  the  six  members."— EDITOR. 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  8 1 

Whitehall,  and  the  queen  in  great  agitation  sat,  watch 
in  hand,  with  her  eyes  on  the  dial.  The  king  had 
indicated  an  hour  when — should  no  "ill  news"  come 
from  him — all  would  be  well ;  and,  the  hour  having 
arrived,  the  queen  exclaimed  to  Lady  Carlisle, — 

"Rejoice  with  me,  for  at  this  hour  the  king  is,  as  I 
have  reason  to  hope,  master  of  his  realm ;  for  Pym  and 
his  confederates  are  arrested  before  now  !" 

The  words  are  said  to  have  caused  Lady  Carlisle  to 
give  a  great  start.  She  was  a  friend,  secretly,  of  the 
enemies  of  the  king.  She  invented  some  pretext  now 
to  leave  the  queen's  apartment ;  hastened  out,  sent  a 
messenger  to  warn  the  threatened  members,  and,  owing 
to  delay  in  the  movements  of  the  king,  the  messenger 
arrived  in  time. 

When  his  majesty  entered  the  Parliament  House,  the 
birds  had  thus  flown.  A  violent  scene  ensued.  Loud 
cries  of  "  Privilege !  privilege  !"  rang  through  the  hall. 
The  Speaker  knelt  to  his  majesty,  but  refused  to  pledge 
himself  for  the  delivery  of  the  accused,  and  the  king 
retired,  discomfited. 

With  this  crow-bar  King  Charles  I.  overturned  his 
throne.  London  suddenly  blazed  with  rage  at  the 
attempted  arrests.  Great  crowds  escorted  the  members 
of  parliament  to  the  hall ;  the  king  retired  ingloriously 
to  Hampton  Court,  and  from  thence  sent  word  that 
he  would  abandon  the  prosecution  of  the  members  and 
respect  parliamentary  privileges  ! 

Oh,  inglorious  !     He  was  brave,  and  not  deficient  in 

intelligence, — what  made  him  thus  act  with  such  folly 

and  timidity?     'Twas  not  conviction  of  having  acted 

wrongfully :    his  majesty  believed  in  his  kingly  pre- 

D* 


82  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

rogative  always.  Was  it  the  spirit  of  intrigue,  the 
intent  to  temporize? 

A  great  sovereign,  observant  of  the  right,  would 
never  have  begun  that  bad  business.  A  resolute  despot 
would  have  marched  upon  the  malcontents  and  crushed 
them  then  and  there.  King  Charles  did  neither.  He 
struck  the  tiger  with  his  whip,  and,  when  the  animal 
turned  snarling,  retreated  before  him.  From  that  mo 
ment  he  was  doomed,  and  was  king  only  in  name. 

This  occurred  wellnigh  half  a  century  since.  King 
and  parliament  are  gone.  I,  an  exile,  am  only  musing 
and  thinking,  "  How  strange  was  all  that !" 

The  royal  family  had  all  gone  back  to  Hampton 
Court ;  and  the  queen  was  in  despair,  it  is  said,  when 
she  learned  that  her  indiscretion  had  prevented  the 
arrest  of  the  members.  Madame  de  Motteville,  whom 
I  knew  well  afterwards, — her  majesty's  intimate  friend, 
— told  me  of  the  meeting  of  Charles  and  his  queen 
after  the  attempted  arrest.  The  queen  threw  herself 
into  the  king's  arms,  and  with  passionate  tears  upbraided 
herself  for  her  fault.  In  narrating  the  scene  to  Madame 
de  Motteville,  she  stopped,  choked  with  tears,  and 
sobbed  out  praises  of  her  husband's  unaltered  tender 
ness.  "Never  did  he  treat  me  with  less  kindness," 
she  faltered  out,  "than  before  it  happened,  though  I 
had  ruined  him." 

Events  from  this  time  rushed  onward.  It  soon  came 
to  be  whispered  through  the  palace  that  her  majesty 
was  going  on  a  visit  to  Holland,  with  the  design  of 
conducting  the  princess-royal,  then  a  child,  to  her 
child-spouse  the  Prince  of  Orange. 

The  parliament  had  issued  a  circular  to  the  nobility, 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  83 

calling  on  them  to  arm  and  prevent  the  king  from 
withdrawing  farther  than  Hampton  Court.  Strange 
to  say,  however,  they  scarcely  opposed  the  projected 
journey  of  the  queen  to  Holland. 

Before  the  queen's  departure  a  singular  event  oc 
curred,  and  this  event  I  shall  now  relate. 


XIX. 

THE   STING   OF  AN   INSECT. 

I  WAS  posted  one  night  on  guard  in  the  anteroom 
to  the  queen's  apartments,  and,  having  been  up  very 
late  orfthe  preceding  night,  leaned  against  the  door 
way,  half  dozing. 

From  this  condition  I  was  arousetl  by  a  light  footfall 
approaching  along  the  corridor ;  and  a  moment  after 
wards  the  dwarf,  Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson,  made  his  ap 
pearance,  laboring  under  great  excitement. 

My  brother's  espousal  of  his  cause  had  made  him  the 
friend  of  the  whole  Cecil  family ;  and,  seeing  me,  he 
now  stopped,  and  began  to  speak  in  a  piping  voice, 
which  indicated  both  agitation  and  anger. 

"I  have  discovered  who  did  all  the  mischief,"  he 
squeaked. 

''What  mischief?"  I  asked. 

"Warning  the  parliament  people  that  his  majesty 
was  coming  to  arrest  them." 

"Ah?     Tell  me." 

The  dwarf  looked  guardedly  around.    Then  he  made 


84  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

signs  that  I  should  sit  down  on  a  bench  under  one  of 
the  windows.  I  did  so ;  and  then  the  manikin  mounted 
with  surprising  agility  to  the  sill  of  the  window,  where 
his  position  enabled  him  to  lean  down  close  to  my 
ear. 

"  Coftangry  !"  he  whispered. 

"Is  it  possible?  One  of  the  queen's  guardsmen! 
What  object " 

"  He  was  the  tool  only." 

"The  tool  of  whom?" 

"My  lady  Carlisle." 

I  stared  at  the  small  speaker.  "It  is  not  possible  !" 
I  said. 

"  I  know  it !"  was  the  venomous  ejaculation.  "  Coft 
angry  is  mad  about  her  ladyship.  Her  eyes  have  turned 
his  head.  I  saw  them  together,  whispering  hurriedly 
in  one  of  the  corridors,  that  day  his  majesty  went  to 
the  parliament.  I  saw  Coftangry  hasten  out, — lost  sight 
of  him, — but  this  evening  discovered  all.". 

"  In  what  manner?" 

"  I  was  lying  beneath  a  couch  in  the  antechamber  to 
the  blue-room.  Her  ladyship  came  in  with  Coftangry, 
and  sat  down  on  the  couch.  I  heard  every  word  they 
said ;  he  is  mad  about  her ;  and  she  made  him  betray 
the  queen  !" 

It  was  impossible  to  doubt  the  sincerity  of  the 
speaker.  He  was  passionately  in  earnest ;  his  eyes 
blazed,  and  his  small  form  trembled  with  excitement. 

"  An  ugly  affair  !"  I  said  ;  "  and  I  will  take  prompt 
action  in  the  matter.  The  queen's  guardsmen  shall 
not  rest  under  the  imputation  of  harboring  a  spy  and 
traitor  in  their  ranks." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  85 

"No,"  said  the  dwarf;  "you  must  promise  me  to 
leave  the  affair  in  my  hands." 

" In  your  hands?" 

"  Yes.  I  exact  that,  Mr.  Cecil, — for  the  moment,  at 
least." 

"  What  course  have  you  determined  upon?" 

"That  is  my  affair." 

"  I  cannot  make  you  any  promise,"  I  said.  "  This 
concerns  her  majesty." 

The  dwarf  knit  his  brows,  and  reflected  for  a  moment. 
At  last  he  said, — 

"When  were  you  posted  here,  Mr.  Cecil?" 

"An  hour  and  a  half  ago.     But  why  do  you  ask?" 

"What  is  the  length  of  your  watch?" 

"  Two  hours.     But  how  can  that  interest  you?" 

"It  interests  me  greatly,"  was  the  cool  reply  of  the 
dwarf.  "And,  as  I  have  now  told  you  all,  Mr.  Cecil, 
I  will  bid  you  good-evening." 

As  he  uttered  the  words,  he  sprang  to  the  floor  with 
his  habitual  agility,  made  me  a  bow  full  of  grave  cour 
tesy,  and  then  hurried  off  in  the  direction  of  the 
ground-floor  of  the  palace.  I  looked  after  him  in  some 
astonishment,  unable  to  make  out  his  design,  and  re 
flecting  upon  the  tenor  of  his  statement. 

So  the  subtle  and  brilliant  glances  of  my  lady  Car 
lisle  had  made  Coftangry  a  traitor  !  Lured  on  by  her 
caressing  eyes  and  ruby  lips,  he  had  sold  faith  and 
honor !  I  was  still  meditating  on  this  piteous  exhibi 
tion  of  a  man's  weakness,  when  footsteps  approached. 
It  was  the  new  guard  coming  to  relieve  me ;  and  I 
was  soon  free  to  return  to  the  guard-room. 

As  I  descended  and  approached  the  door,  I  heard  a 
8 


86  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

loud  altercation.  I  hastened  on,  entered  the  guard 
room,  and  saw  Coftangry  and  the  dwarf  facing  each 
other,  both  raging. 

"You  are  a  traitor!  Are  you  a  coward  too?" 
came  in  piping  tones,  full  of  wrath,  from  Hudson. 

"  Is  this  pigmy  to  continue  thus  to  insult  the  queen's 
guardsmen?"  exclaimed  Coftangry. 

"This  pigmy,"  hissed  the  dwarf,  "is  as  well-born 
as  you  are ! — is,  moreover,  a  belted  knight,  which  you 
are  not,  and  defies  you  to  single  combat !" 

The  words  raised  a  storm  in  the  guard-room;  but 
a  large  majority  sided  with  the  dwarf. 

"  He  is  right  !"  cried  one.  "Beware  how  you  re 
fuse  him,  Coftangry.  You  will  dishonor  her  majesty, 
who  has  knighted  him." 

The  tumult  continued  for  fifteen  minutes  longer ; 
then  everything  grew  quiet.  The  dwarf  had  carried 
his  point.  On  the  next  morning  at  daylight,  Coft 
angry  was  to  meet  him  in  a  secluded  part  of  the  park, 
each  on  horseback  with  pistols,  in  order  to  equalize 
the  combatants. 

I  was  a  witness  of  the  singular  scene  which  duly  fol 
lowed  this  arrangement. 

Just  as  the  first  streak  of  dawn  was  seen  above  the 
great  oaks  of  the  Hampton  Court  park,  Coftangry 
and  Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson,  his  diminutive  opponent, 
made  their  appearance  on  horseback  at  the  retired  spot 
selected  for  the  encounter.  Each  was  accompanied  by 
one  friend ;  and  a  number  of  the  Guardsmen  who  had 
followed  them  formed  a  group  near. 

The  countenance  of  Coftangry  wore  a  satirical  and 
mocking  expression,  which,  added  to  his  sallow  com- 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  87 

plexion,  did  not  render  him  a  very  attractive  spectacle. 
He  seemed  to  regard  the  whole  affair  as  an  "excellent 
jest,"  and,  drawing  his  cloak  around  him,  took  his 
place  with  an  air  of  mingled  amusement  and  disdain. 

The  dwarf  was  cool  and  determined.  His  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  his  adversary  with  an  expression  of  cold 
menace.  He  wore  a  light  velvet  cloak,  from  beneath 
which  protruded  his  minute  sword ;  over  his  brow 
drooped  a  plumed  hat.  It  seemed  impossible  that  his 
short  legs  could  enable  him  even  to  retain  his  seat  on 
the  big  horse  he  rode  ;  but  he  did  retain  it,  holding 
the  reins  and  directing  the  animal  with  the  ease  of  a 
perfect  horseman. 

In  five  minutes  all  was  arranged,  and  the  adversaries 
were  placed  near  and  facing  each  other.  Then  the 
word  was  given,  and  the  dwarf  drew  his  pistol. 

Coftangry,  with  a  short  laugh,  drew — a  squirt. 

"  Here  is  the  weapon  I  have  chosen  to  meet  this 
chivalric  paladin!"  he  said.  "I  feared  lest  a  pistol- 
bullet  might  prove  a  cannon-ball  to  this  sparrow  !" 

He  raised  the  squirt,  and,  uttering  a  second  laugh, 
aimed  at  the  dwarf. 

"  Ready  !"  he  said. 

A  flush  of  rage  rose  to  the  face  of  Hudson. 

"Are  you  a  gentleman,  or  a  clodhopper?"  he 
snapped.  "  Or  simply  a  coward  ?" 

"  Come  on  !"  cried  Coftangry,  with  feigned  laughter; 
though  it  was  easy  to  see  how  much  the  dwarf's  words 
stung  him. 

The  dwarf  looked  towards  his  adversary's  friend, 
and,  lowering  his  pistol,  pointed  with  the  other  hand  to 
Coftangry.  The  gesture  was  full  of  such  contempt  that 


88  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Coftangry  turned  pale.  The  words  of  the  Guardsman 
appearing  as  his  second  in  the  duel  did  not  soothe  him 
much. 

"If  you  wish  any  further  aid  of  mine,  Mr.  Coft 
angry,"  said  his  friend,  "you  must  conform  to  the 
rules  of  combat,  and  meet  Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson  with 
the  weapons  of  a  gentleman." 

"I  have  no  pistol  with  me  !"  growled  Coftangry,  in 
reply. 

The  dwarf  threw  back  his  cloak,  and  drew  a  second 
pistol  from  his  belt.  He  took  both  by  the  handles, — 
they  were  small,  but  exquisitely  chased  and  mounted, — 
and,  holding  them  out,  said, — 

"Here  are  pistols!  Take  one;  I  will  take  the 
other." 

The  words  ended  all  further  parley.  It  was  not 
possible  to  make  longer  any  opposition.  A  moment 
afterwards,  Coftangry  and  the  dwarf  were  sitting  their 
horses  at  the  distance  of  fifteen  paces  from  each  other, 
pistol  in  hand,  and  awaiting  the  word. 

It  was  given,  and  a  simultaneous  report  was  heard, — 
the  crack  of  a  popgun  it  seemed, — accompanied  by  a 
puff  of  smoke. 

The  dwarf  remained  erect,  curbing  his  startled  horse 
with  a  firm  hand.  Coftangry  reeled,  dropped  his  rein, 
and  fell  from  his  horse. 

All  ran  to  him,  and  raised  him  up.  The  bullet  had 
pierced  his  heart.  Five  minutes  afterwards,  whilst 
attempts  were  being  made  to  stanch  his  wound,  his 
head  fell  back,  a  gurgling  sound  escaped  from  his  lips, 
and  he  expired. 

Such  was  one  of  the  most  singular  events  I  have 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  89 

ever  witnessed  ;  and  I  have  related  all  the  details  to 
afford  some  idea  of  the  strange  complexion  of  affairs 
at  that  epoch.  The  queen  had  taken  into  her  house 
hold,  as  a  plaything,  this  pigmy  of  only  two  feet  in 
height :  a  full-grown  man  had  mimicked  him ;  he  had 
demanded  satisfaction  for  the  wrong ;  pistols  fired  from 
horseback  had  equalized  giant  and  pigmy ;  and  it  was 
the  bullet  from  the  dwarf's  pistol  which  penetrated 
the  full-grown  man's  heart.  Such,  I  repeat,  was  this 
strange  event, — not  the  result  of  my  fancy,  but  an 
actual  occurrence  during  the  reign  of  his  majesty 
Charles  I.  The  moral,  I  think,  is,  Do  not  laugh  at 
misfortune,  and  beware  of  the  smallest  insects,  if  their 
sting  is  mortal ! 

The  death  of  Coftangry  created  a  great  excitement 
in  the  palace  for  two  or  three  days.  But  there  was  no 
one  to  punish.  The  dwarf  had  set  spurs  to  his  horse, — 
if  he  wore  spurs, — and  disappeared.  His  unfortunate 
victim  was  buried,  and  the  event  passed  from  all  minds. 
Memory  of  the  dead  is  short  in  this  world  : — at  courts, 
I  think,  it  is  shortest  of  all ! 


9o  HER    MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

XX. 

GOOD-BY,    SWEET-HEART  ! 

THE  queen's  arrangements  then  in  rapid  progress  for 
her  journey  to  Holland  contributed  largely  to  banish 
the  fate  of  Coftangry  from  all  minds. 

This  proposed  journey  plunged  me  into  veritable 
despair.  It  was  understood  speedily  that  her  Guards 
would  not  accompany  the  queen, — that  this  body  of 
elite,  under  Lord  Bernard  Stuart,  would  remain  with 
the  king.  I  was  a  member  of  the  Guards,  and  must 
continue  with  them,  and  thus  for  weeks,  months, 
years,  it  might  be,  would  not  see — Frances  Villiers  ! 

I  fancy  I  see  one  of  my  grandchildren — some  little 
maiden  of  seventeen,  let  us  say — smiling  archly  as 
she  reads  the  above  words  in  her  grandpapa's  memoirs. 
She  will  have  seen,  perchance,  the  old  gentleman  who 
pens  them,  and  will  wonder  if  ever  the  flowers  of 
love  bloomed  under  the  snow  of  his  hair.  Yes,  little 
one  !  that  snow  had  not  yet  fallen  at  the  time  I  write 
of:  my  life  was  in  its  springtime;  the  first  violets 
bloomed.  I  would  have  plucked  all  the  world  con 
tained,  could  I  have  done  so,  to  make  a  bouquet  du 
corsage  for  Frances  Villiers  ! 

So  I  was  really  in  despair  when  I  thought  I  should 
see  her  no  more  for  a  long  time :  her  tranquil  smile 
which  greeted  me  every  day  had  become  a  sort  of 
necessity  of  my  life.  Harry,  too,  seemed  full  of  gloom. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  91 

"Hang  it,  Ned,"  he  said,  "how  will  I  be  able  to 
sustain  life,  my  boy,  without  a  glance  now  and  then 
from  the  eyes  of  the  fair  Frances?"  And  it  was  only 
long  afterwards,  as  the  reader  will  see,  that  I  came  to 
understand  what  was  hidden  under  that  jest. 

Thus  I  moped,  seeing  my  sunshine  about  to  leave 
me;  but  'tis  certain  that  parting  must  take  place  in 
life,  and  I  summoned  all  my  philosophy.  I  think  Miss 
Frances  saw  the  gloom  on  the  faces  of  the  two  Cecils ; 
but  she  said  nothing,  remained  quite  calm,  and  one 
morning  entered  the  coach  which  followed  that  bearing 
her  majesty  towards  Dover,  with  entire  composure,  and 
naught  more  than  her  habitual  composed  sweetness. 

The  queen  was  thus  en  route  for  Holland,  and  King 
Charles,  surrounded  by  a  party  of  noblemen  and 
followed  by  the  queen's  Guards,  escorted  the  coach  on 
horseback. 

The  journey  was  to  be  marked  by  one  or  two  inci 
dents, — affecting  both  his  majesty  and  my  humble 
self. 

As  the  cortege  came  in  sight  of  Dover,  where  a 
vessel  awaited  the  queen,  a  party  of  horsemen  was 
seen  rapidly  approaching  from  the  direction  of  Lon 
don.  As  the  queen  descended  from  her  chariot  on 
the  jetty,  the  horsemen  reached  the  spot,  and  a  tall 
cavalier  of  dignified  appearance,  the  leader  apparently, 
dismounted,  gave  his  bridle  to  a  man,  and  approached 
the  king,  doffing  his  plain  round  hat  as  he  did  so. 

His  majesty  looked  at  the  new-comer  over  his  shoulder, 
and  with  an  expression  which  indicated  little  satisfac 
tion.  The  dialogue  which  followed  was  brief  and  to 
the  point. 


9 2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"Sir  William  Strickland,  I  believe?  Your  good 
pleasure,  sir  ?" 

The  tone  of  the  king  was  imperious,  haughty,  and 
not  a  little  disdainful. 

"Your  majesty  will  first  permit  me,"  returned  the 
gentleman,  "  to  assure  your  majesty  of  my  very  pro 
found  respect." 

The  king  made  a  curt  movement  of  the  head. 

"You  come  on  the  part  of  my  parliament,  doubt 
less,  sir?" 

"Yes,  your  majesty." 

"Your  errand,  sir?" 

"  A  very  painful  one,  your  majesty.  I  am  com 
missioned  by  the  parliament  to  beg  that  before  the 
departure  of  her  majesty  the  queen  for  Holland,  the 
law  excluding  the  bishops  from  sitting  as  peers  in  the 
House  of  Lords  may  receive  your  majesty's  approval." 

The  king's  brow  darkened  more  and  more. 

"  In  other  words,  unless  I  permit  this  iniquitous 
scheme  to  become  a  law  of  the  realm,  the  parliament 
will  not  permit  her  majesty  to  depart  for  Holland?" 

Sir  William  Strickland  was  silent. 

"Is  it  not  so,  sir?"  exclaimed  the  king,  with  rising 
anger. 

"I  am  unfortunate  in  being  the  bearer  of  a  mes 
sage  displeasing  to  your  majesty,"  was  the  diplomatic 
reply. 

A  flush  of  anger  and  disdain  rose  to  the  face  of  the 
king.  Around  him,  all  faces  wore  a  similar  expression. 

The  king  hesitated.  At  that  moment  her  majesty 
touched  his  arm,  drew  him  aside,  and  for  some  minutes 
spoke  with  him  in  animated  tones.  The  result  was 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  93 

that  the  king,  with  an  expression  of  suppressed  dis 
pleasure,  turned  to  Sir  William  Strickland,  and  said, — 

"Be  it  as  you  and  the  parliament  will,  sir.  You 
have  doubtless  the  required  form  for  the  passage  of  the 
act  by  commission  ?" 

Sir  William  bowed  low,  and,  drawing  a  paper  from 
his  breast,  presented  it  with  profound  respect  to  the 
king.  As  he  did  so,  a  clerkish-looking  individual  of 
his  party  approached  with  pen  and  ink,  which  the 
emissary  presented  to  the  king  with  the  same  air  of 
deference. 

The  king  rapidly,  and  with  a  sort  of  flirt  of  the 
pen,  affixed  his  signature  to  the  paper,  and  Sir  William 
received  it  from  his  hands  with  a  low  bow.  The  king 
scarcely  acknowledged  it, — turned  his  back, — and  a  few 
minutes  afterwards  the  party  of  parliamentarians  were 
riding  away. 

"  So  much  for  that,"  murmured  the  king.  "  Events 
seem  hastening." 

With  these  words,  he  seemed  to  dismiss  the  whole 
scene  from  his  mind.  In  half  an  hour  her  majesty, 
with  the  princess  and  her  suite,  was  on  board  the  vessel 
which  was  to  bear  her  away,  and  the  king  and  queen 
parted  from  each  other  on  the  deck  with  a  long  em 
brace.  The  eyes  of  the  queen  were  filled  with  tears, 
and  the  king's  face  flushed  with  emotion.  A  last  em 
brace  was  exchanged  ;  the  king  went  ashore  again  ;  the 
vessel  spread  her  sails. 

The  king,  however,  seemed  unable  to  tear  himself 
from  the  sight  of  the  queen.  He  sat  his  horse, 
gazing  at  the  vessel  upon  whose  deck  the  queen  stood 
erect,  waving  her  handkerchief;  and  this  salute  he 


94  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

returned  by  raising  and  holding  aloft  his  gray  beaver, 
with  its  floating  plume.  The  handkerchief  continued 
to  wave  from  the  deck,  and,  as  the  course  of  the  ship 
was  along  the  shore,  the  king,  surrounded  by  his  noble 
men  and  guards,  rode  along,  keeping  it  in  sight.  In 
this  manner  his  majesty  passed  over  a  distance  of  four 
leagues,  ever  keeping  the  ship  in  sight,  and  straining 
his  eyes  to  see  the  white  speck  moving  to  and  fro  upon 
the  deck. 

At  last  a  fresh  breeze  sprung  up,  and  the  bark  flew 
like  a  sea  gull  towards  the  open  channel.  From  a  lofty 
cliff,  and  motionless  in  the  keen  winter's  wind,  the 
king  looked  his  last.  Slowly  the  vessel  faded, — then 
it  resembled  a  dark  speck,- — then  it  vanished.  As  it 
disappeared,  the  king  drew  a  long  and  labored  breath, 
let  his  head  fall,  and  slowly  turned  his  horse  to  retrace 
his  steps. 

I  shall  always  remember  that  scene ;  and  think  to 
day,  as  I  thought  then,  that  there  is  nothing  more 
respectable  than  the  faithful  love  of  husband  and  wife. 
What  are  rank  and  power  and  wealth  beside  this? 
And  all  wandering  loves, — how  mean  and  poor  they 
seem  in  presence  of  this  beautiful  and  noble  sentiment, 
on  which  I  think  the  All-seeing  smiles  ! 

Doubtless  King  Charles  I.  committed  terrible  errors 
as  a  ruler ;  but  for  all  that  he  was  a  good  husband.  A 
court  full  of  frail  beauties  could  never  induce  him  to 
turn  his  eyes  from  the  wife  God  had  given  him. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN..  95 


XXI. 

HOW   I   WAS   COMPELLED    FOR   A   TIME   TO   TAKE    NO 
FURTHER   PART   IN   PUBLIC   AFFAIRS. 

AN  irritating  incident  followed  close  upon  this  pain 
ful  scene,  and,  as  the  reader  will  soon  perceive,  this 
incident  seriously  affected  my  own  person. 

The  king  had  just  turned  his  horse's  head  to  ride 
back  to  London,  when  Sir  William  Strickland  again 
came  on  at. the  head  of  his  party  of  horsemen,  and, 
reaching  the  spot,  dismounted  a  second  time,  and  ap 
proached  the  king  with  the  same  air  of  deep  respect. 

The  eyes  of  the  king  filled  with  sudden  fire. 

"  What  now,  sir?"  he  exclaimed,  in  accents  so  abrupt 
and  haughty  that  they  resembled  a  blow  struck. 

"  I  am  deeply  pained  to  offend  your  majesty,"  began 
Sir  William  Strickland. 

"A  truce  to  words  and  ceremony!"  rejoined  the 
king.  "You  are  not  here,  sir,  as  my  friend  or  loyal 
subject.  Your  business,  sir  !  And  I  beg  that  you  will 
dispatch  it  briefly,  as  we  are  not  in  the  mood  to  be 
annoyed  to-day." 

The  emissary  bowed  low  again,  and  said, — 

"I  would  fain  spare  your  majesty  annoyance. 
Briefly,  a  courier  reached  me  on  my  way  back  to  Lon 
don,  bearing  the  paper  I  hold  in  my  hand,  which  is 
addressed  to  your  majesty." 

The  king  caught  the  paper  with  a  movement  of  rage 


9 6  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

almost.  His  eye  ran  over  it :  suddenly  he  crumpled 
it  up  and  threw  it  upon  the  ground. 

"  Tell  these  people ' '  he  began.  Then  he  stopped, 

and  seemed  to  realize  how  unbecoming  his  anger  must 
appear.  His  eyes  were  fixed  with  a  cold  and  haughty 
expression  upon  Sir  William  Strickland. 

"  Do  you  know  the  contents  of  that  paper,  sir?"  he 
said. 

"I  do  not,  your  majesty." 

"It  is  a  'petition,' — everything  is  a  'petition' now, — 
in  which  the  gentlemen  of  my  parliament  considerately 
ask  that  I  will  not  deprive  them  of  the  charms  of  my 
company ;  they  will  be  in  despair  if  I  absent  myself 
from  London,  and  will  be  plunged  into  melancholy  if 
I  even  remove  the  Prince  Charles  from  them.  Will  I 
therefore,  they  say,  '  be  pleased  to  reside  nearer  the 
metropolis,  and  not  take  the  prince  away  from  them'  ? 
It  would  afflict  them,  these  tender-hearted  gentlemen ! 
'Tis  this  that  yonder  paper  contains,  sir." 

The  emissary  inclined  his  head  before  the  royal  dis 
pleasure,  but  was  silent. 

"  The  meaning  is  simple  !"  added  the  king,  with  dis 
dain  in  eye  and  lip.  "  My  good  subjects  of  the  parlia 
ment  design  making  me  and  my  son  prisoners.  They 
have  assailed  my  prerogative,  they  would  lay  hands  on 
my  person.  I  am  intractable,  they  would  render  me 
docile.  'Tis  an  ingenious  device,  sir, — is  it  not? — this 
humble  'petition'  of  my  humble  subjects?" 

Sir  William  Strickland  bowed  profoundly;  but  I 
could  see  from  the  obstinate  expression  of  his  counte 
nance  that  he  was  unmoved. 

"You  do   not   reply,  sir,"   said    the  king,   in   the 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  97 

same  tone.  "You  do  not  think  the  device  ingenious, 
then?" 

"Your  majesty  will  pardon  me  for  declaring  that  I 
regard  it  as  natural." 

"That  is  the  opinion  of  Sir  William  Strickland, 
Baronet?" 

A  slight  color  tinged  the  face  of  Sir  William  at  these 
words.  With  sudden  embarrassment  he  bowed  low, 
but  made  no  reply.  The  king  gazed  at  him  for  a 
moment  in  silence,  and  then  said,  coolly, 

"I  will  reply  to  this  petition  within  three  days,  sir. 
Does  that  suffice,  or  am  I  compelled  to  respond  here 
and  now?" 

"That  will  assuredly  answer  every  purpose;  and  I 
now  beg  to  take  my  leave  of  your  majesty." 

With  these  words,  Sir  William  Strickland,  who  had 
begun  to  betray  some  signs  of  discomposure  at  the 
threatening  faces  around  him,  made  the  king  a  pro 
found  inclination,  and,  mounting  his  horse,  rode 
away. 

The  king  gazed  after  him  for  a  moment,  and  said  to 
a  nobleman  of  his  suite, — 

"So  pass  away  one's  old  friends  to  the  enemy's 
standard  !  'Tis  scarce  two  years  since  I  made  this  gen 
tleman  a  baronet :  I  would  not  upbraid  him  with  it, 
but  he  had  the  grace  to  blush  as  he  remembered  it. 
Well,  a  truce  to  all  this.  Things  hasten  more  than 
ever !  Before  three  days  have  passed ' ' 

He  suddenly  stopped,  and  the  sentence  remained 
unfinished.  Some  scruple,  if  not  some  secret  resolve, 
seemed  to  check  him, — the  latter,  it  appeared. 

"That  message  to  the  parliament  may  involve  the 
E  9 


98       HER  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN. 

appearance  of  trick,"  he  muttered.  "  In  three  days,  I 
said.  The  message  must  be  modified." 

He  turned  quickly  to  an  officer  of  the  Guard. 

"  Captain  Hyde,  take  two  or  three  gentlemen  of  the 
Guard,  and  ride  after  Sir  William  Strickland.  Say  on 
my  part  that  I  will  make  a  speedy  reply — use  those  words 
— to  the  petition  of  the  parliament,  if  it  be  not  made 
in  three  days." 

Captain  Hyde  bowed  low,  and  turned  to  select  two 
or  three  of  the  Guard.  I  caught  his  eye,  and  he  nodded ; 
then  he  indicated  one  other.  A  moment  afterwards 
we  were  all  riding  at  full  speed  after  Sir  William  Strick 
land,  whose  party  was  visible  on  the  crest  of  a  hill  in 
our  front. 

The  guardsmen  of  the  queen  possessed  fine  horses 
and  were  hard  riders.  We  went  on  at  a  pace  which 
would  soon  have  borne  us  over  the  distance  separating 
us  from  Sir  William  Strickland,  but  this  very  rapidity 
defeated  our  object :  the  emissary  seemed  to  suspect 
something,  and  also  pressed  forward  at  a  rapid  gallop. 

Thus  it  was  that  the  affair  became  a  chase.  The  king 
had  followed  us  with  the  rest  of  his  suite,  and  Sir 
William  now  plainly  regarded  the  aspect  of  things  as 
hostile.  The  war  had  begun  ! — the  royal  forces  were 
pressing  the  retreating  representatives  of  parliament ! 

The  speed  of  the  Guardsmen's  horses  at  last  enabled 
them  to  come  up  with  the  parliamentarians, — but  I  was 
not  present  at  the  scene :  I  was  in  fact  unaware  of  my 
existence.  My  horse,  a  fine  bay,  had  enabled  me  for 
some  time  to  keep  the  lead  of  the  pursuing  party :  an 
old  fox-hunter,  he  went  on  at  a  thundering  rush,  when 
unfortunately  a  stone  in  the  road  caused  him  to  stumble 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  99 

and  fall.  I  rolled  beneath  him,  his  full  weight  fell 
upon  me,  and  I  dislocated  my  shoulder. 

I  only  remember  thereafter  that  the  king  stopped 
beside  me,  and  raised  m^  head :  there  was  a  group 
around ;  then  I  fainted.  Half  an  hour  afterwards  I 
revived,  and  was  dimly  conscious  that  a  surgeon  was 
setting  my  shoulder.  Then  I  fainted  again — was  aware 
that  I  was  placed  in  a  vehicle — the  vehicle  moved  : 
when  I  opened  my  eyes  next,  I  was  lying  on  a  couch  in 
a  lofty  antechamber  at  Whitehall,  and  Harry  was 
sitting  beside  me,  holding  my  hand  and  gazing  at  me 
tenderly. 

"So,  Ned,"  he  said,  "here  you  are  yourself  at  last 
again.  How  do  you  feel  ?" 

"Badly,  Harry;  but  not  so  very  badly.  This  is 
Whitehall?" 

"Yes;  we  brought  you  here,  the  king's  affairs  sum 
moning  him  to  London  :  arrived  an  hour  since,  just  at 
sunset,  and  you  were  so  weak  that  you  were  laid  upon 
this  couch.  Better  remain  here,  wrapped  in  your 
cloak,  until  morning  :  I  will  watch  beside  you.  Mean 
while,  Dick  is  riding  post  to  Cecil  Court  to  bring  the 
coach.  'Twill  doubtless  come  speedily,  and  you  must 
go  thither  till  your  recovery." 

As  Harry  spoke,  his  name  was  pronounced  at  the 
door  :  he  was  absent  from  my  side  a  moment,  and  then, 
returning,  said,  with  some  annoyance, — 

"  I  must  go  on  post  for  two  hours,  Ned.  Then  I 
will  return  to  you.  Compose  yourself  to  sleep  :  no  one 
will  disturb  you  in  this  part  of  the  palace  ;  and  the 
moon  through  the  oriel  yonder  will  be  sufficient 
light." 


too  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"Content,  Harry;   I  will  sleep,"  I  said. 
And,   drawing  my  cloak  around  me  with  my  well 
arm,  I  closed  my  eyes. 


XXII. 

THE    PORTRAIT    OF   STRAFFORD. 

NEARLY  two  hours  had  passed,  I  think,  after  Harry's 
disappearance,  when  I  was  aroused  from  my  dreamy 
half-slumber  by  footsteps  on  a  side  corridor  leading  to 
the  anteroom  in  which  I  lay.  A  moment  afterwards 
the  door  opened,  a  figure  slowly  entered,  and  this 
figure  paused  in  front  of  a  portrait  upon  which  the 
moonlight  fell  in  a  flood  of  light.  A  second  glance 
told  me  that  the  new-comer  was  King  Charles.  He 
was  clad  in  a  dressing-gown  of  velvet ;  his  head,  with 
its  long  curling  hair,  was  bare;  and  the  pale,  melan 
choly  face,  with  an  unhappy  light  in  the  dark  eyes,  was 
turned  towards  the  portrait,  upon  which  the  king  fixed 
a  long  and  absorbed  look.  So  intense  indeed  was  that 
gaze  that  my  eyes  followed  it  and  fell  upon  the  portrait. 

It  represented  a  man  past  middle  age,  and  the  face 
was  an  extraordinary  one.  Dark,  harsh  features  ;  eyes 
full  of  dauntless  courage,  mingled  with  a  sort  of  stern 
severity,  and  mournful  foreboding,  as  it  were,  of  some 
approaching  calamity;  lips  upon  which  were  written  an 
unshrinking  resolve,  a  will  all  iron  ;  and  in  the  poise 
of  the  grand  head  something  majestic,  calm,  and  im 
posing  ; — such  was  the  portrait  which  the  moonlight  fell 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  IOi 

upon,  and  at  which  the  king  now  gazed,  standing 
motionless  as  a  statue  in  front  of  it. 

At  least  ten  minutes  passed,  and  not  a  muscle  of  the 
king's  figure  stirred.  Then  I  saw  his  bosom  heave,  a 
low  groan  issued  from  his  lips,  and  he  raised  one  hand 
to  his  eyes,  as  though  to  brush  away  tears. 

Whose  was  this  portrait  which  had  aroused  such 
terrible  emotion?  for  the  tears  of  kings  are  terrible, 
and  burn  as  they  fall.  I  knew  not,  but  was  soon  to 
know.  The  king  was  still  looking  with  the  same  absorb 
ing  gaze  upon  the  picture,  when  another  figure  appeared 
at  the  door,  remained  there  for  a  moment  motionless, 
then  entered  the  apartment,  treading  noiselessly,  and 
stood  beside  the  king.  The  shadow  of  the  new-comer — • 
a  man — was  thrown  upon  the  wall.  The  king  started, 
and  turned  with  a  wild  look  towards  the  man ;  then, 
drawing  a  long,  deep  breath,  Charles  exclaimed,  in  a 
broken  voice, — 

"  Oh,  Digby  !  methought  that I  am  unnerved 

to-night,  and  this  face " 

He  turned  again  towards  the  portrait. 

"The  eyes  haunt  me,"  he  murmured,  "the  mourn 
ful  eyes  of  the  man  I  sent  to  his  death  !  Strafford  ! 
Strafford  !  Would  to  God  I  had  died  before  I  grew  a 
coward  and  allowed  cozening  voices  to  persuade  me  to 
your  death  !" 

The  king  pressed  his  thin  white  hand  to  his  forehead 
as  he  spoke,  and,  interrupting  Lord  Digby,  who  essayed 
to  speak,  added,  in  the  same  broken  voice, — 

"  There  are  deeds  that  brand  men  as  cowards  in  his 
tory.  I  thought  myself  brave  once,  but  I  signed  that 
terrible  warrant !  It  was  forced  from  me,  they  tell  me 
9* 


102  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

to  console  me.  I  resisted,  protested,  refused,  they  say, 
but  I  signed  at  last !  Well,  that  day,  Digby,  was  the 
blackest  of  my  life.  I  was  a  forsworn  gentleman  !  I 
was  a  king,  and  I  acted  as  a  coward !  I  had  the  power 
to  say  no,  and  I  said  yes.  Strafford  was  my  friend, — 
faithful  unto  the  death ;  and  my  return  for  all  was  to 
send  him  to  that  death  with  my  own  hand  !" 

The  speaker's  emotion  was  overpowering  as  he 
uttered  these  words.  He  covered  his  face  with  his 
hands,  and  sobbed  like  a  child.  His  frame  shook.  A 
shudder  passed  through  my  own  frame  as  I  looked  and 
listened. 

Lord  Digby  seemed  to  experience  the  same  emotion, 
and  could  scarce  speak. 

"  I  beseech  your  majesty,"  he  said  at  last,  "  to  cease 
this  fearful  talk,  and  retire  from  this  apartment.  What 
evil  spirit  counseled  your  majesty  to  come  hither?" 

"  No  evil  spirit,  Digby,  but  the  conscience  in  my 
breast,"  murmured  the  king. 

"Your  majesty  exaggerates  the  part  borne  by  your 
self  in  the  death  of  Strafford.  That  signature  to  the 
death-warrant  was  forced  by  enemies ;  the  very  bishops 
counseled  it :  the  good  of  the  realm  was  paramount." 

"No  good  comes  out  of  evil:  'twas  cruel  cowardice, 
Digby,  and  has  borne  its  fruits." 

"  Cowardice!  that  word  again?  Who  will  dare  call 
your  majesty  a  coward  ?' ' 

"History!" 

The  word  was  uttered  with  a  solemnity  that  thrilled 
through  me. 

"  Let  us  banish  all  glosses  and  party  passion  from 
this  question,"  said  the  king,  gloomily.  "For  the 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  103 

opinions  of  this  generation  I  care  little,  esteeming  them 
but  lightly.  My  reign  is  stormy  and  divides  all  minds ; 
royal  prerogative  and  democratic  power  are  at  issue : 
wonder  not,  then,  that  my  bitter  enemies  charge  me 
with  untold  crimes.  I  am  a  tyrant,  a  violator  of  my 
word,  the  author  of  the  fearful  Irish  massacre ;  I  am  a 
despot,  reigning  by  fraud  and  falsehood  and  duplicity  ; 
of  all  the  monsters  of  history,  Charles  I.  of  England  is 
the  most  monstrous.  And  these  charges,  Digby,  are 
so  bitterly  insisted  upon  that  all  men's  minds  will  soon 
be  poisoned  against  me.  Well,  I  care  not.  ,  I  never 
violated  my  word  of  gentleman  yet.  I  claimed,  as  to 
tonnage,  and  the  rest,  what  I  thought  my  just  and  im 
memorial  prerogative  only.  When  I  heard  of  the  Irish 
murders,  I  shuddered  like  the  most  protestant  of  my 
subjects.  In  my  own  heart  I  am  guiltless  of  all  this; 
but  history  will  bring  against  me  another  charge,  and 
of  this  I  am  guilty  !" 

He  spoke  in  a  low  tone,  motioning  to  Lord  Digby 
to  be  silent. 

"  I  am  guilty  of  that  man's  death,"  he  said,  raising 
his  hand  slowly,  and  pointing  to  the  picture.  "  He 
worked  for  me,  fought  for  me,  served  me  faithfully. 
And  I,  who  should  have  defended  him,  abandoned  him 
to  his  enemies.  Of  fraud,  falsehood,  tyranny,  I  am 
guiltless :  the  charges  pass  me  by  as  the  idle  wind.  Of 
Strafford's  blood  I  am  guilty !  When  that  head,  that 
should  have  worn  the  crown,  fell  on  Tower  Hill, 
Charles,  the  first  of  the  name,  of  England,  was  for 
sworn  !" 

I  could  see  in  the  moonlight  that  the  king's  fore 
head  was  covered  with  drops  of  cold  sweat.  He  had 


104  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

mastered  himself  by  an  immense  effort,  but  the  tears 
and  agony  of  the  outer  man  a  moment  before  seemed, 
so  to  speak,  to  have  struck  inward.  The  wound  bled 
internally  and  was  past  cure. 

The  king  continued  to  gaze  for  a  long  time  upon 
the  portrait.  At  last  his  lips  opened,  and  he  muttered, 
in  tones  almost  inaudible, — 

"  Farewell,  Strafford  !  'Twere  better  to  have  lost  my 
crown  than  to  have  consented  to  your  death !  But  the 
deed  is  done.  I  carry  in  my  breast  an  ineradicable 
remorse !  Smiles  and  happiness  are  not  for  me  any 
longer  on  this  earth  !  Yet  I  go  to  my  work.  I  am 
king,  and  dare  not  shrink.  You  are  no  longer  beside 
me,  with  your  great  brain  and  fearless  soul,  to  be  my 
strong  tower  of  defense !  I  go  on  my  path  alone. 
Farewell !  Something  tells  me  that  I  will  ere  long 
rejoin  you." 

As  he  uttered  these  words,  the  king  went  towards  the 
door,  but,  as  though  the  great  rugged  head  of  the  por 
trait,  with  its  dark  eyes,  still  fascinated  him,  looked 
over  his  shoulder  at  it  as  he  moved  away. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  face  of  the  king  as  I  saw  it 
then  in  the  moonlight.  It  was  deadly  pale,  and  in  the 
eyes  was  that  settled  gloom  which  is  seen  in  all  his 
portraits. 

A  moment  afterwards  he  was  gone  with  Lord  Digby, 
and  the  steps  died  away  on  the  corridor. 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  105 


XXIII. 

I   RETURN   TO   CECIL   COURT. 

ON  the  morning  succeeding  this  strange  scene,  I  was 
removed  to  a  bedchamber  in  the  palace,  and  three 
days  afterwards  my  father  arrived  in  the  family  chariot, 
and  I  was  borne  from  my  couch  to  it. 

My  father  followed  ;  Harry  bade  me  an  affectionate 
farewell  j  and  then  the  old  coach,  with  its  four  horses, 
moved  slowly  away  towards  Cecil  Court. 

As  I  left  the  palace,  I  observed  something  which 
forcibly  arrested  my  attention.  In  the  great  court 
yard  were  drawn  up  the  entire  company  of  the  queen's 
Guard,  with  the  servants  in  rear ;  and  near  the  great 
entrance  stood  grooms  holding  three  horses,  completely 
equipped, — one  of  which  I  knew  to  be  the  favorite 
riding-horse  of  the  king.  About  the  horses,  the  Guards 
men,  their  retainers,  everything  and  everybody,  there 
was  something  which  indicated  a  long  journey  rather 
than  a  brief  ride. 

I  was  still  gazing  back  through  the  window  of  the 
chariot  at  the  line  of  Guardsmen,  armed  and  ready, 
when  a  great  shout  arose  in  front,  and  I  turned  in  the 
direction  of  the  sound.  The  spectacle  was  striking. 
As  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  the  street  was  crammed  with 
a  great  multitude,  and  in  the  centre  of  the  thorough 
fare  moved  a  procession,  first  of  men  and  then  of 
women, — a  procession  strange,  wild,  fierce,  with  in- 
E* 


106  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

flamed  faces,  violent  gestures — mov,ing  furies.  As  I 
afterwards  discovered,  they  were  the  guild  of  porters, 
the  watermen  of  the  Thames,  beggars, — then  forming  a 
distinct  guild ;  and  the  women  were  from  the  markets, 
brawny,  masculine  persons,  with  bare  arms  and  furious 
visages,  clad  in  little  better  costume  than  their  non 
descript  associates.  All  were  marching  to  the  Parlia 
ment  House  to  offer  their  "petitions." 

For  a  moment,  it  seemed  that  the  chariot  and  the 
head  of  the  great  column  would  come  in  conflict.  The 
coachman,  directed  by  my  father,  drew  to  one  side, 
however, — we  were  about  to  avoid  the  anticipated 
collision, — when  one  of  the  multitude,  uttering  a 
curse,  caught  the  leaders  by  the  bridle,  and  ordered 
the  coachman  to  turn  about  and  retrace  his  steps. 

"Why,  the  movement  is  impossible,  friend,"  said 
my  father,  in  his  calm  voice.  "  Should  my  horses 
attempt  to  turn,  they  would  trample  upon  some  one." 

"  Hear  him  !"  shouted  the  man,  one  of  the  "beg 
gars,"  and  clad  in  rags  :  "  he  says  he  will  trample  upon 
the  people  !  Down  with  them  !" 

The  words  aroused  a  sort  of  fury  in  the  crowd.  The 
horses  were  violently  seized  by  the  bridles;  a  rush  was 
made  upon  the  ponderous  coach,  beneath  which  it 
shook,  and  half  turned  over;  in  a  moment  it  would  have 
been  broken  to  pieces,  in  all  probability,  and  its  inmates 
trampled  under  foot,  when  a  commanding  voice  cried, 
"Hold!"  and  a  plain-looking  personage  forced  his 
way  through  the  crowd. 

His  very  appearance  seemed  to  produce  a  magical 
effect. 

"Pym!" 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  107 

That  name  escaped  from  a  hundred  lips;  and  an 
instant  afterwards,  Mr.  Pym  by  a  simple  gesture,  it 
seemed,  had  cleared  a  space  around  the  vehicle. 

"Permit  this  gentleman  to  proceed  on  his  way," 
said  Mr.  Pym.  "  No  time  is  to  be  lost.  Parliament 
awaits  the  worthy  porters  and  the  rest  with  their  peti 
tions." 

A  shout  rose,  and  the  crowd  obeyed.  The  chariot 
was  no  longer  molested,  and  Mr.  Pym,  whom  I  saw 
that  day  for  the  first  and  last  time,  disappeared.  He 
died  soon  afterwards,  and,  'tis  said,  regretted  his  part 
in  the  excesses  of  the  parliament.  I  know  not ;  but  'tis 
certain  that  he  was  disinterested  in  his  course:  he 
ruined  his  private  fortune,  and  died  poor. 

The  coach  proceeded  then  without  further  molesta 
tion  upon  its  way,  and  we  had  just  reached  the  suburbs 
of  London  when  the  clatter  of  hoofs  came  behind 
and  rapidly  approached.  I  glanced  through  the  win 
dow  :  it  was  the  Guardsmen,  moving  at  a  quick  trot. 
At  their  head  rode  the  king,  and  beside  him  the 
Princes  Charles  and  James,  afterwards  Charles  II.  and 
James  II.  All  were  richly  clad, — the  boys  like  their 
father, — but  they  wore  their  swords,  and  moved  steadily 
forward. 

A  moment,  and  the  cavalcade  had  passed,  Harry 
waving  his  hand  to  me.  We  were  now  beyond  the 
city,  and,  instead  of  towards  Hampton  Court,  the  king's 
party  turned  northward. 

"Look!  see  the  road  his  majesty  takes,  my  son!" 
said  my  father. 

"It  is  the  road  to " 

"  York  !     From  this  moment  civil  war  begins  !" 


108  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

My  father's  surmise  was  correct.  Finding  himself  a 
virtual  prisoner  at  Whitehall  or  Hampton  Court,  the 
king  had  resolved  to  free  himself,  had  mounted  his 
horse  in  front  of  Whitehall,  and,  riding  past  the 
great  procession,  which  saluted  him  with  threatening 
murmurs,  had  left  London,  to  take  refuge  at  York. 

I  could  take  no  part  in  the  coming  conflict.  I  was 
in  bed  at  Cecil  Court,  pale,  feeble,  wholly  powerless 
indeed,  with  a  compound  fracture  of  the  shoulder- 
blade. 


BOOK    II. 
I. 

DREAMS  AT  CECIL  COURT. 

MAY  of  this  troubled  year  1642  came  into  the 
world,  and  found  me  still  weak  and  feeble, — scarce 
able,  indeed,  to  rise  from  my  bed.  As  June  approached, 
however,  I  grew  somewhat  stronger,  began  to  move 
about  the  grounds,  and  slowly  my  hurt  healed, — with 
which  came  a  sense  of  exquisite  enjoyment. 

I  look  back  upon  those  summer  days  at  Cecil  Court 
as  among  the  happiest  of  my  life.  Everything  was 
charmingly  fresh  and  buoyant;  and  my  brief  expe 
rience  of  the  bustle  of  courts  had  only  intensified  a 
sentiment  always  powerful  in  me,  my  love  for  the  scenes 
and  occupations  of  our  English  country  life. 

It  is  certain  that  one  is  born  with  this  sentiment  and 
never  loses  it.  I  have  seen  all  phases  of  life  in  my 
time, — the  splendid  court  at  Versailles,  the  rush  and 
whirl  of  battle ;  have  talked  with  dukes  and  count 
esses,  flirted  the  fans  of  court  beauties,  and  taken  part 
in  royal  processions  : — all  the  fine  pageant  of  the  life  of 
cities  has  passed  before  me,  with  waving  banners,  tri 
umphant  music,  gorgeous  silks  and  velvets,  and  jewels, 
and  floating  plumes ;  but  the  whole  has  been  for  me  a 
10  (I09) 


HO  HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

mere  phantasmagoria  or  idle  picture.  What  I  liked 
better,  and  returned  to  with  ever-increasing  fondness, 
was  the  calm,  untroubled  life  of  the  fields  and  forests, — 
the  fields  and  forests  of  dear,  ever-blessed  England. 

It  was  these  fresh  scenes  that  I  looked  on  now  from 
the  doorway  of  the  old  mansion  of  my  fathers  on  the 
banks  of  the  Avon.  My  illness  seemed  to  have  sharp 
ened  every  faculty  of  enjoyment.  Through  my  very 
pores  I  seemed  to  absorb  the  delightful  influences  of 
the  vernal  season.  The  songs  of  the  birds  in  the  elms, 
the  daisies  starring  the  turf,  the  skylark  circling  in 
the  clouds, — all  were  sources  of  the  sweetest  happiness  ; 
and  I  thrilled  with  an  enjoyment  which  no  words  can 
express. 

The  banks  of  the  great  river  of  Virginia,  wherefrom 
I  write,  are  beautiful,  and  Virginia  is  surely  a  charm 
ing  country ;  but,  go  where  you  will,  friend,  there  is 
no  place  like  home.  A  kind  heaven  made  my  home  in 
Old  England, — with  green  turf,  and  blooming  hedges, 
and  great  trees,  and  cawing  rooks  swarming  in  and 
out  of  their  nests  on  the  summits  of  the  lofty  oaks, 
beside  the  little  sheet  of  water  on  which  some  swans 
sailed  serenely  to  and  fro.  Every  spot  around  the  old 
house  had  some  family  incident  or  memory  of  my  own 
youth  connected  with  it.  There  were  the  apple-trees 
where  I  had  gathered  the  ripe  red  fruit  in  autumn ; 
there  was  the  spot  in  the  hedge  where  I  had  hung  with 
delight  over  the  dove's  nest,  with  its  two  milk-white 
eggs;  there  was  the  crotch  in  the  great  apple-tree, 
where  I  had  robbed  the  blackbird's  nest  of  its  speckled 
treasure ;  yonder  the  old  pony  had  rolled  me  on  the 
grass,  when  an  idle  urchin;  at  the  quiet  nook  in  the 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  m 

little  stream  where  the  grass  hung  over  the  shadowy 
pool,  I  had  fished  with  a  pin-hook  and  brought  home 
in  triumph  my  willow  twig  full  of  trout.  Thus  every 
locality  was  full  of  memories  of  my  childhood.  And 
boyhood  had  its  souvenirs,  no  less  vivid  and  delightful. 
The  child  had  become  a  youth,  and  his  heart  had  ex 
panded  amid  these  same  scenes.  The  dreams  of  the 
great  poets,  the  first  vague  thrills  of  romance,  visions 
of  beauties  with  great  soft  eyes  and  flowing  hair, — 
these  too  were  framed  as  it  were  by  the  green  fields 
and  woods  around  Cecil  Court.  Stealing  off  in  those 
days  to  the  banks  of  the  little  stream,  I  would  throw 
my  line,  in  the  water  where  the  shadow  of  a  great  elm 
darkened  the  limpid  surface,  stretch  myself  on  the 
turf,  with  the  leaves  whispering  over  me,  and  hour 
after  hour  of  the  long  summer  days  would  flit  by  like 
dreams, — or  call  them  birds,  sailing  away  on  silent 
wings  into  the  past.  Then  the  blue  sky  was  a  wonder, 
with  its  fleecy  cloud-ships;  the  far  coo  of  the  dove 
came  to  my  ears  like  dreamy  music ;  the  water  rippled  ; 
the  rooks  cawed  in  the  tops  of  the  great  elms : — I  was 
an  English  boy  in  my  English  home,  filled  in  all  my 
being  with  the  exquisite  happiness  which  comes,  to  me 
at  least,  only  amid  the  dear  scenes  of  Old  England. 

As  I  pass  away  from  this  tranquil  and  charming 
period  of  my  life, — I  mean  the  days  of  my  convales 
cence,  when  the  old  scenes  came  back  so  vividly  to 
me,  and  I  was  a  boy  again, — I  lean  my  head  upon  my 
hand,  muse  idly  as  I  remember,  and  again  see  the 
youth  lying  on  the  turf  beneath  the  oak,  reading 
Shakspeare's  dramas,  and  thinking  of  his  own  life's 
drama, — brief  as  yet,  and  just  begun.  See,  I  have 


112  UER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

written  that  great  name,  Shakspeare, — and  that,  too, 
arouses  many  memories.  The  fame  of  my  father's 
neighbor  and  friend  has  grown  quite  gigantic  now,  but 
at  that  time  he  was  much  less  renowned, — indeed,  I 
might  say,  was  little  read.  'Tis  so  dangerous  to  one's 
fame  to  be  its  cotemporary  and  move  about  in  flesh 
and  blood  !  No  man  is  great  to  those  who  talk  with 
him  and  see  him  laugh  and  eat  his  dinner  !  "  That  a 
heaven-born  genius?"  you  say:  "absurd!  'tis  only  a 
man  like  myself!"  So  those  who  lived  near  Mr. 
Shakspeare  were  not  so  very  enthusiastic  about  him. 
He  was  delightful  company,  my  father  said,  and  of 
excellent  wit  and  humor ;  made  you  laugh  very  often, 
and  was  altogether  gay,  and  healthy,  and  natural ;  but 
he  was  surprisingly  simple,  seemed  never  to  have 
imagined  himself  of  much  importance,  thought  little, 
it  would  appear,  of  his  dramas,  and  preferred  Stratford, 
where  life  was  quite  humdrum,  to  London,  where 
they  feted  him  and  placed  crowns  upon  his  forehead. 
He  came  often  to  see  my  father  at  Cecil  Court ; 
laughed  at  everything  and  everybody,  with  a  pleasant 
wit  which  did  not  wound ;  took  an  interest  in  horses, 
and  calves,  and  the  very  spring  flowers ;  smoked  his 
tobacco-pipe,  and  never  alluded  to  Macbeth  or  Hamlet 
in  his  life. 

Such  was  Will  Shakspeare,  as  old  neighbors  still 
called  him ;  and  I  think  my  father  was  one  of  the  few 
persons  who  divined  the  supreme  genius  of  his  writings. 
I  was  early  impressed  with  their  charm,  and  read  him 
constantly:  Titania  and  Miranda  and  Ophelia  filled 
my  early  dreams.  Thus  the  soul  of  Shakspeare  grew 
as  'twere  into  my  young  life;  and  to-day,  reading  his 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  113 

great  dramas  on  the  banks  of  the  York,  'tis  not  so  much 
Elsinore  and  Duncan's  castle  and  Bosworth  field  I  see, 
as  Cecil  Court  in  England,  where,  stretched  on  the 
turf,  I  looked  upon  all  these  visions  ! 

Need  I  add  that  in  that  spring  I  saw  other  heroines 
in  my  dreams  than  Shakspeare's?  Frances  Villiers  ! 
— I  write  that  name,  and  leave  the  picture  of  the  dis 
consolate  lover  to  be  painted  by  the  imagination.  I 
will  not  dwell  upon  that.  I  grow  old,  alas  !  and  ro 
mantic  writing  from  an  old  gentleman  would  make  his 
grandchildren  laugh.  "Tis  the  grand  privilege  of 
youth  to  be  absurd  gracefully, — to  go  into  raptures 
over  Dulcinea,  and  talk  nonsense  as  fresh  and  charm 
ing  as  the  passion  it  describes.  Romance-writers  share 
that  privilege,  'tis  true;  and  were  I  composing  a  ro 
mance,  I  might  enlarge  upon  Frances  Villiers  and  my 
hero's  feelings.  If  I  were  only  writing  the  adven 
tures  of  an  imaginary  Mr.  Edmund  Cecil !  Then  the 
reader  should  be  told  everything:  my  hero's  heart 
should  be  laid  bare, — his  romantic  passion  should  gush 
forth  in  burning  words, — and  behold,  beloved  reader, 
you  would  have  a  love-romance  to  amuse  you.  But 
this  is  my  own  life,  you  see.  I  grow  ashamed  when  I 
speak  of  my  own  feelings:  would  you  like  a  third  per 
son  to  be  listening,  whilst  you  poured  out  in  some 
shady  nook  the  passion  of  your  heart  into  the  ears  of 
the  chosen  one  ?  'Tis  thus  a  sort  of  shame  which  seals 
my  lips :  enough  that,  asleep  or  awake,  Frances  was  in 
my  thoughts. 

The  Cecils  are  light-hearted,  and  take  trouble  easily. 
What  unhappiness  lives  forever  ?  what  year  is  all 
clouds?  The  sun  will  shine  at  length;  and  'tis  the 


II4  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

happy  constitution  of  my  blood  to  divine  it  behind 
the  clouds,  and  think,  "  'Tis  coming  out  soon  !" 

So  fled  the  spring  and  early  summer.  I  have  told  you 
of  my  occupations  and  dreams  at  Cecil  Court,  and  have 
not  said  one  word  of  the  troubles  of  the  time.  They 
did  not  find  me  indifferent ;  and  twice  I  mounted  my 
horse  to  rejoin  the  king  in  the  north,  only  to  faint  as 
often,  be  borne  home,  and  find  my  illness  renewed.  I 
was  thus  forced  to  wait,  but  with  impatience,  through 
out  that  fiery  summer  which  burnt  into  all  hearts.  My 
quiet  sports  had  become  a  weariness  then,  and  more 
than  one  event  occurred  even  in  our  country  nook 
which  indicated  the  tumult  surging  beyond. 

To  that  I  pass  now.  I  have  pleased  myself  by  speak 
ing  of  those  spring  days  at  Cecil  Court.  It  was  but  an 
eddy  in  the  torrent :  the  stream  soon  swept  me  on 
again. 


II. 

A   FRIEND   OF   THE    KING. 

ALL  at  once,  late  in  summer,  came  the  intelligence 
that  his  majesty  had  erected  his  standard  at  Notting 
ham,  and  that  his  faithful  subjects  were  flocking  to  him 
by  tens  of  thousands,  to  defend  him  against  the  "  con 
spirators  of  the  Parliament." 

That  version  of  affairs  was  somewhat  glowing,  as 
events  of  speedy  occurrence  sufficiently  proved  ;  but 
everybody  placed  credence  then  in  the  hopeful  pros- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  115 

pects  of  the  king,  and  one  of  our  neighbors,  Sir  Jervas 
Ireton  by  name,  galloped  over  to  congratulate  my 
father.  Sir  Jervas  was  a  large  florid  man,  of  portly 
and  imposing  appearance.  He  was  not  very  popular, 
but  was  prominent  in  the  county. 

"Let  us  rejoice,  Mr.  Cecil,"  he  cried,  shaking  my 
father's  hand  violently,  with  an  up-and-down  pump- 
handle  movement,  "  that  his  sacred  majesty  is  about  to 
punish  these  pestilent  knaves  of  the  parliament !" 

My  father  remained  unimpressed,  and  did  not  seem 
to  share  his  visitor's  enthusiasm. 

"Is  it  so  certain?"  he  said.  "And  after  all,  I 
think,  Sir  Jervas,  there  are  men  in  the  parliament  who 
are  not  knaves." 

Sir  Jervas  stared.  "You  astound  me!  Then  you 
are  one  of  the  'Godly'  !" 

My  father  smiled.  "I  am  for  the  king,"  he  said, 
"but  without  believing  him  altogether  in  the  right." 

Thereat,  Sir  Jervas  exploded,  and  made  an  oration 
of  the  most  violent  character.  His  majesty  was  a  per 
secuted  saint !  the  parliament  was  a  gang  of  mis 
creants  !  every  gentleman  and  honest  man  should 
adhere  to  his  majesty,  who  would  soon  show  the  rascals 
that  he  had  might  as  well  as  right  on  his  side  ! 

Then  Sir  Jervas  puffed  and  rolled  about,  so  to  say, 
in  the  excess  of  his  ardor.  He  remained  an  hour 
longer,  blazing  with  loyalty  and  enthusiasm.  Then  he 
mounted  his  horse  and  galloped  off  to  congratulate 
some  other  friend  of  the  king. 

As  time  wore  on, — miserably  spent  by  the  reader's 
humble  servant  in  longing  for  strength  to  mount  his 
horse, — the  royal  prospects  appeared  day  by  day  less 


Il6  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

promising.  The  number  of  the  king's  troops  was  ascer 
tained  to  be  but  small,  his  resources  very  limited,  and 
the  enthusiasm  in  his  cause  far  from  general. 

Followed  thereupon  a  second  visit  from  the  worthy 
Sir  Jervas,  who  was  much  more  moderate  in  his  expres 
sions,  and  less  convinced  of  the  justice  of  the  royal 
cause.  He  had  been  mistaken,  he  said,  in  regarding 
the  merits  of  this  unhappy  misunderstanding  as  so 
wholly  .on  the  side  of  his  majesty.  The  collision  be 
tween  king  and  parliament  was  truly  unfortunate ;  the 
royal  authority  should  be  vindicated  in  its  just  extent, 
but  he  did  not  hesitate  to  say  that  a  body  of  men  so 
virtuous,  intelligent,  and  law-abiding  as  the  great  Eng 
lish  parliament  could  not  be  guilty  of  wrong  or  in 
justice.  The  public  troubles  were  distressing — most 
distressing — to  all  good  citizens,  and  it  was  to  be  hoped 
that  his  majesty  would  not  persist  in  armed  opposition  to 
the  peaceful  execution  of  the  laws  of  the  realm.  There 
upon  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  bowed  to  my  father,  who  had 
listened  without  a  word,  and  rode  away.  As  he  disap 
peared,  my  father  raised  his  finger,  pointed  after  him, 
and  said  to  me, — 

"  There  is  a  worthy  personage  who  is  going  to  turn 
his  coat." 

The  reported  forces  of  his  majesty  continued  to 
dwindle.  It  began  to  appear  that  the  parliament  was 
the  stronger;  and  one  morning  we  heard  that  Sir  Jer 
vas  Ireton  had  gone  to  London  on  private  business. 

"He  is  going  to  ascertain  which  side  to  take,"  my 
father  said. 

But  I  had  no  time  to  think  now  of  Sir  Jervas,  who, 
as  was  shown  afterwards,  had  been  to  London  and  re- 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  ny 

turned.  At  last  I  was  strong  enough  to  mount  my 
horse,  and  prepared  with  ardor  for  my  journey  to  join 
the  Guardsmen  again. 

I  was  soon  ready.  My  valise  was  packed,  my  sword 
burnished,  my  pistols  loaded, — for  it  was  said  that  the 
country  swarmed  with  friends  of  the  parliament  now, 
prepared  to  arrest  all  who  attempted  to  join  the  royal 
forces, — and  the  evening  preceding  the  day  fixed  on 
for  my  departure  came. 

On  this  evening  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  reappeared  at 
Cecil  Court. 


III. 

A   FRIEND    OF   THE   PARLIAMENT. 

THE  worthy  Sir  Jervas  had  evidently  imbibed  an  un 
due  amount  of  claret.  His  countenance  was  rubicund, 
and  his  eyes  twinkled.  Twice  he  called  my  father 
"Cecil,"  to  that  gentleman's  extreme  disgust,  and 
finally  spoke  of  public  affairs,  up  to  that  moment 
passed  over  sub  silentio,  alluding  to  the  king's  friends 
as  "  malignants,"  bent  on  the  destruction  of  "the 
godly,"  that  is  to  say,  the  friends  of  the  parliament. 

My  father  bowed,  but  only  said,  with  provoking 
coolness, — 

"Well,  sir?" 

"  But  the  godly  are  more  than  a  match  for  you  ma 
lignants  !"  cried  the  inebriated  knight. 

"  You  appear  to  take  pleasure  in  bestowing  nick- 


Il8  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

names  on  his  majesty's  friends,  sir,"  said  my  father, 
coldly. 

"  Fight  the  devil  with  fire  !"  cried  Sir  Jervas,  start 
ing  up.  "  When  a  public  ruler  disregards  all  dictates 
of  morality  and  honor, — when  pledge  after  pledge  is 
violated,  and  the  liberty  of  the  subject  is  in  danger, — 
when  papists  and  heretics  and  murderous  emissaries  are 
let  loose  upon  an  unoffending  people, — what,  1  ask,  sir, 
can  be  the  course  of  the  friends  of  law  and  order?" 

My  father  had  remained  calm  until  this  moment. 
Now  his  face  flushed;  but  he  controlled  himself. 

"  'Tis  distasteful  to  me  to  hear  his  majesty  denounced 
thus,  Sir  Jervas  Ireton,"  he  said;  "and  you  will  pardon 
me  for  adding  that  I  esteem  his  supporters  to  be  as 
little  'malignant'  as  your  friends  to  be  'godly.'  ' 

"A  month,  or  two  at  most,  will  decide  which  is 
strongest !" 

"Ah!"  my  father  said,  with  some  disdain;  "then 
'tis  a  question  of  strength,  not  right !  The  strongest 
side  is  the  right, — that  to  which  all  moral  and  prudent 
gentlemen  should  adhere !" 

Flushed  with  wine  as  he  was,  Sir  Jervas  understood, 
and  was  stung  by,  the  taunt. 

"Your  meaning,  Mr.  Cecil!"  he  said,  red  and  irate. 

"I  mean,"  returned  my  father,  "that  I  had  sup 
posed  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  to  be  a  friend  of  his  majesty. 
'Tis  scarce  a  month  since  you  lauded  him  as  the 
model  of  a  prince,  and  no  insults  were  too  gross  for 
the  parliament  people  in  your  estimation,  sir.  Mr. 
Hampden  was  a  knave; — I  was  compelled  to  defend 
that  high-minded  gentleman  against  your  denuncia 
tions  ;  Mr.  Pym  was  a  wretch ;  Mr.  Cromwell  a 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  119 

hypocritical  fanatic!  Now  these  are  the  saints,  and  we 
of  his  majesty's  cause  are  the  knaves !  Well,  beware, 
Sir  Jervas :  there  are  friends  of  yours  who  will  call  you 
turncoat.  I  will  not,  sir,  for  you  are  beneath  my 
roof!" 

The  knight  started  up  at  this,  and  exclaimed, — 

"  I  leave  your  roof,  but  give  you  some  counsel  first. 
The  eyes  of  the  godly  are  upon  you " 

My  father  was  on  his  feet  too.  "In  your  person, 
doubtless,  sir!"  he  said,  in  great  wrath.  "By  heaven,  I 
am  not  too  old,  '  malignant'  though  I  be,  to  defend 
my  honor  !" 

With  three  strides  he  reached  an  old  sword  hanging 
against  the  wall,  and  caught  it  down. 

"This  for  you,  sir,  and  the  rest  of  the  'godly,' — at 
all  hours,  day  or  night !" 

I  had  risen,  half  indignant,  half  laughing  at  the 
drunken  knight. 

"Don't  threaten  him,  sir,"  I  said  to  my  father:  "he 
won't  fight." 

And  the  truth  of  my  words  was  speedily  shown. 
Five  minutes  had  not  passed  before  Sir  Jervas  was  out 
of  the  room  and  on  horseback. 

' '  The  vulgar  turncoat ! ' '  growled  my  father,  replacing 
his  old  sword  on  the  wall.  "A  few  moments  more,  and 
I  had  spitted  his  carcase  !" 

"  '  'Tis  better  as  it  is,'  as  Will  Shakspeare  says, 
sir, "I  returned,  laughing ;  "  and  even  now  this  worthy 
may  annoy  you  in  many  ways,  from  his  connection 
with  the  'godly  '  in  the  neighborhood.  I  shall  not  be 
present  to  aid  you.  I  leave  you  at  daylight.  Now  I 
will  go  with  Cicely  to  take  leave  of  everything." 


120  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

I  called  my  little  sister,  who  had  been  my  companion 
in  all  my  rambles,  and  she  came,  with  her  pretty  bright 
face  smiling  behind  its  curls.  In  her  eyes,  however, 
I  could  discern  the  traces  of  tears,  and,  as  we  walked 
under  the  great  trees  towards  the  stream,  she  said,  in  a 
low  voice, — 

"  Oh,  brother,  why  do  you  leave  us?  Must  you  go 
so  soon?" 

"Yes,  Cicely,"  I  said:  "this  is  no  time  for  the 
Cecils  to  prove  laggards.  I  see  you  have  been  up 
stairs  crying;  but  come,  smile  again.  There  is  your 
ardent  admirer,  Jervas  Ireton  the  younger,  coming  to 
meet  you  through  the  trees." 

Cicely  pouted  immensely,  and  said,  "  He  is  the 
most  disagreeable  little  wretch " 

And,  as  she  spoke,  the  disagreeable  little  wretch  ap 
proached,  smiling.  It  was,  however,  somewhat  of  an 
injustice  to  characterize  the  young  gentleman  thus  : 
he  was  only  weak.  About  twenty,  with  flaxen  hair, 
washed-out  blue  eyes,  a  feeble  smile,  Mr.  Jervas  Ireton 
the  younger  was  simply  insignificant.  He  and  Cicely 
were  old  playmates,  as  the  Ireton  estate  joined  Cecil 
Court,  and  the  youth  had  long  fancied  himself  con 
sumed  with  an  ardent  passion  for  the  maiden. 

"Oh,  Cicely,  and  Mr.  Ned,"  he  said,  "I  am  very 
glad  to  see  you, — that  is " 

He  stammered,  hesitated,  and  added, — 

"That  is,  I  would  like  to  see  you  alone,  Cicely." 

The  damsel  pouted  hugely  at  these  words,  and 
said, — 

"What  do  you  mean,  Mr.  Ireton?" 

"There  it  is!"  cried  the  young  gentleman,  plunged, 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  121 

it  seemed,  into  despair.  "Mr.  Ireton!  The  next 
thing  it  will  be  Captain  Ireton!" 

Cicely  stared.     "You  a  captain  !" 

"Yes,"  moaned  the  youthful  warrior,  in  lugubrious 
tones,  "a  real  captain.  Sir  Jervas  managed  it.  A 
real  captain,  with  a  new  uniform,  and  just  going  away. 
So  I  came, — it  was  the  only  opportunity  I  will  have, — 
you  will  not  see  me  alone.  Oh,  Miss  Cicely  !  don't 
let  me  go  without — without — without  —  one  word, — 
that  is " 

Here  "Captain"  Ireton  quite  broke  down,  losing 
all  his  self-possession.  Cicely's  head  rose  erect,  and 
her  eyes  were  full  of  fire. 

"  Which  side  are  you  on,  sir?"  came  suddenly  from 
the  maiden. 

"  The — the — that  is — I  have  no  opinions  myself 
of  any  consequence, — of  no  consequence,  I  assure 
you " 

"You  are  on  the  parliament's  side  !" 

"Ye — e — s,"  returned  Captain  Ireton,  hanging  his 
head. 

Cicely  shot  an  exterminating  glance  at  her  admirer. 

"  Then  you  will  please  never  presume  to  address  me 
again,  sir  !"  she  burst  forth.  "  The  Cecils  are  for  the 
king !"  And  the  little  maiden's  eyes  flamed. 

"I — wish — I — was,"  came  from  her  heart-broken 
admirer,  "  but, — well — 'tis  all  over,  I  see,  Cicely.  I 
will  not  say  any  more. — I  wish — but  my  father  will 
have  his  way  ;  he's  a  terrible  old  screw  and  tyrant ! — 
I  have  no  opinions  of  any  consequence ;.  —  but, 
well " 

A  gleam  of  intelligence  appeared  in  the  youth's  eyes. 

F  II 


122  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Sir  Jervas  has  the  opinions  of  the  family  !" 
A  few  minutes  afterwards  he  took  a  sorrowful  fare 
well,  and  went  disconsolately  away  ;  and  I  walked  with 
Cicely  until  nightfall,  when,  arm  in  arm,  my  little  sister 
and  myself  returned  in  the  grand  moonlight  which  fell 
upon  the  old  hall  in  a  flood  of  glory  I  shall  never 
forget. 


IV. 

A   VOUNG   GENTLEMAN   WITHOUT   OPINIONS   OF   ANY 

CONSEQUENCE. 

I  HAD  supposed  the  adieus  of  Jervas  Ireton  the 
younger  to  have  been  final;  but  on  the  very  next  morn 
ing,  just  as  I  was  about  to  get  into  the  saddle,  he  re 
appeared. 

The  youth  was  clad  in  a  superb  purple  uniform,  the 
colors  of  Lord  Brook,  and  wore  on  his  shoulder  an 
orange  scarf,  the  badge  of  Lord  Essex,  commanding 
all  the  parliament  forces.  He  was  thus  an  imposing 
figure,  in  his  purple  and  orange  adornment,  with  the 
huge  feather  in  his  hat,  and  sabre  at  his  side  ;  but  more 
imposing  still  was  his  retinue,  which  consisted  of  about 
twenty  mounted  men,  marching  martially  two  abreast. 
The  affair  really  looked  like  war  !  Here  was  the  dis 
consolate  lover  of  Cicely  coming,  it  would  seem,  to 
have  an  official  interview  with  Cicely's  brother  and 
mildly  dissuade  him  from  going  to  join  the  king. 

My  surmise  was  just. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  123 

The  martial  youth  halted  his  command  in  a  voice  of 
thunder, — an  order  which  they  proceeded  to  obey  by 
huddling  together  and  running  against  each  other  in 
the  wildest  confusion, — and  then,  approaching  me,  he 
said,  in  a  mournful  tone, — 

"I  hope  Cicely's  not  risen,  Mr.  Ned;  oh,  I  think 
there  she  is,  busy  with  your  valise  !  How  I  wish  I  was 
going  with  you  !" 

I  could  not  refrain  from  laughter. 

"  Whereas  it  is  I  who  am  going  with  you, — or  at  least 
you  think  so,"  I  said.  "In  other  words,  my  good 
Captain  Jervas  Ireton,  you  have  brought  that  fine  com 
pany  of  serving-men  and  cobblers  yonder,  to  arrest  me 
as  an  adherent  of  his  majesty?" 

The  warrior  hung  his  head. 

"  The  old  man  is  such  a  screw  ! — the  greatest  tyrant, 
Mr.  Ned,  you  ever  saw  !  Of  course  he  made  me  come. 
Somebody  told  him  you  were  going  away  to  the  king 
this  morning, — so  he  would  not  rest  till  he  had  me  in 
the  saddle,  with  this  tag-rag,  on  the  way  to  seize  you." 

I  looked  at  the  youth,  measuring  his  stature,  then  at 
his  company.  I  could  have  broken  him  in  two,  despite 
my  weakness,  with  one  arm ;  and  the  complexion  of 
his  followers  was  far  from  martial. 

"Well,"  I  said,  bringing  around  my  rapier  and 
pistol,  "what  do  you  propose  to  do,  my  good  sir?" 

"Oh,  Mr.  Ned  !  don't  speak  to  me  in  that  way!" 
remonstrated  the  young  gentleman. 

"  In  what  way?" 

"So  rough!     Of  course  I  am  going  to  pretend  to 

arrest  you There  is  Cicely  !     Oh  !  the  old  man  is 

such  a  tyrant !" 


124  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Cicely  came  out  and  stared  in  amazement.  Then 
her  face  flushed  hot. 

"  What  are  you  and  these  people  here  for,  sir?"  she 
exclaimed. 

"Nothing — nothing — that  is — hem! — it's  a  mere 
form,  Cicely." 

"Please  call  me  Miss  Cecil,  sir,"  said  the  little 
maiden,  turning  pale,  but  speaking  with  great  hauteur. 

"There  again! — 'Sir/1"  exclaimed  the  prostrated 
youth.  "Oh,  dont  call  me  'Sir,'  Cicely, — that  is, 
Miss  Cecil!" 

Cicely  looked  from  the  speaker  to  myself  in  amaze 
ment. 

"  Our  young  friend  is  only  come  to  bid  me  good-by, 
little  sister,"  I  said. 

"  Yes,  yes, — that's  it ! — and  to  wish  you  a  happy 
journey,  Mr.  Ned  !"  was  the  eager  response ;  "  in  fact, 
my  own  opinion  is — if  I  had  any — but  I  have  none  of 
any  consequence,  I  do  assure  you ' ' 

I  burst  into  a  laugh,  in  which  my  father — who, 
coming  down  the  steps,  had  heard  the  last  words,  and 
understood  all — nearly  joined. 

"Come!"  I  said  to  the  young  warrior,  "  why  not 
choose  to  have  some  opinions  ?  Go  and  fight  for  his 
majesty :  your  bold  followers  will  join  you.  There's 
Hob,  an  old  friend  of  mine,  and  Tom  Diggs  and  Greg 
ory  from  Keynton.  They  don't  know  in  the  least  what 
they  are  going  to  fight  for  !" 

The  youth  hung  his  head,  and  looked  truly  discon 
solate. 

"  I  don't  think  we  can,  Mr.  Ned, — the  old  man 
is  such  a  screw.  I  have  no  opinions  myself — but — 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  125 

confidentially — my    sentiments    are — '  God    save    the 
king!"' 

He  sank  his  voice  as  he  uttered  the  words,  and 
added,  in  the  same  tone, — 

"  Could  you  make  it  convenient  to  ride  out  by  the 
back  way,  Mr.  Ned?" 

"No,"  I  said.    "  I  propose  ridingthrough  Keynton." 

The  young  man  started. 

"  In  company  with  Captain  Ireton,  at  the  head  of  his 
bold  troopers  !" 

The  youth  looked  quite  aghast ;  but  the  comedy  of 
the  affair  had  taken  possession  of  me, — I  was  in  the  gay 
est  spirits, — and  the  result  was  that  ten  minutes  after 
wards  I  had  bidden  my  father  and  Cicely  farewell,  and 
was  riding,  followed  by  Dick  Hostler,  beside  Captain 
Ireton  at  the  head  of  his  company. 

The  spectacle  must  have  been  odd.  I  wore  my  rich 
uniform  of  queen's  guardsman,  and  my  companion  the 
purple  coat  and  orange  scarf  of  the  parliament.  As 
we  entered  Keynton,  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon  us ;  and 
I  gazed  at  it  as  attentively,  for  the  village  once  so  tran 
quil  was  almost  unrecognizable.  The  parliament  ruled 
there.  The  shopkeepers  sat  on  their  counters,  haran 
guing  crowds;  the  blacksmith  had  shut  up  his  forge,  and 
was  laying  down  the  law  to  the  wheelwright,  who  seemed 
to  hold  opposing  views  ;  the  public  room  at  the  inn  was 
thronged  with  idlers,  agog  for  news;  and  in  one  end 
of  the  long  porch,  an  emissary  of  the  parliament,  in 
full  regimentals,  was  ladling  out  drink  and  calling  for 
recruits. 

"Oh,  Mr.  Ned  !"  exclaimed  my  companion,  "what 
are  you  going  to  do  ?" 

n* 


I26  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"I?  I  am  going  to  do  nothing,"  I  said,  laughing, 
"since  there's  nothing  to  be  done  !" 

"  But  they  see  you  ! — there  they  come  ! — and  oh, 
good  heavens  ! — there — there — is " 

Voxfaucibus  hczsit !  The  youth,  dumb  with  terror, 
pointed  to  the  figure  of  Sir  Jervas  Ireton,  coming 
rapidly  out  of  the  inn,  and  approaching. 

"I  see  you  have  him!"  exclaimed  Sir  Jervas;  "a 
pestilent  enemy  of  the  good  cause  !  The  young  bant 
ling  now, — the  old  cock  soon  to  join  him  !" 

The  ruddy  features  of  the  knight  shone,  as  he  drew 
near.  His  unfortunate  son  shrank  from  him. 

"Your  servant,  my  good  Mr.  Cecil,"  said  the 
knight,  scornfully;  "  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you." 

"  'Tis  friendly,  at  least;  but  the  sight  of  your  wor 
ship  affects  me  differently,"  I  said,  continuing  my  way. 

"  Stop  ! — halt,  I  say! — seize  him  !" 

And  the  knight  rushed  upon  me,  catching  my  rein 
violently. 

I  did  not  fancy  the  movement,  and  was  in  a  bad 
humor  from  the  scene  at  dinner  with  my  father.  As 
Sir  Jervas  Ireton,  therefore,  seized  my  bridle-rein  to 
arrest  me,  I  dealt  him  a  blow  with  my  fist  on  the  side 
of  the  head,  which  caused  him  to  stagger.  The  act 
was  visible  to  all,  and  twenty  men  darted  at  my  horse. 

Had  they  caught  the  bridle,  I  must  have  been  down 
under  their  feet  the  next  moment.  I  guarded  against 
that  by  striking  the  spur  into  my  horse's  side  and 
whirling  my  rapier  in  front. 

"  Fire!  fire  on  him  !"  I  heard  the  furious  Sir  Jervas 
cry  to  his  son.  And  the  reply  of  that  warrior  came  as 
clearly, — 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  127 

"  Oh  ! — the  pistols — they  are  not  loaded  !" 

The  words  were  followed  by  an  explosion  from  the 
porch  of  the  inn ;  a  bullet  passed  through  my  hat, 
and  I  turned  my  head  in  that  direction.  Through  the 
smoke  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  parliamentary  emis 
sary,  who  wore  a  sergeant's  badges,  and  in  the  close- 
cropped  hair,  huge  ears,  and  wide  mouth,  I  recognized 
my  foe  the  man  Hulet,  from  London. 

A  longer  interview  was  impossible.  I  sent  a  bullet 
from  my  pistol  at  the  worthy,  which  did  him  no  injury. 

"  Come,  Dick,  ride  !"  I  then  said;  "the  whole  crew 
are  after  us  ! " 

And,  turning  in  my  saddle,  I  caught  off  my  hat, 
waved  it  around  my  head,  and  cried, — 

ft  God  save  the  king  !" 

That  was  some  satisfaction,  at  least.  Prudence  coun 
seled  speed  now;  and  Dick  and  I  went  on  rapidly 
through  the  village,  pursued  by  shots  and  the  worship 
ful  Captain  Ireton's  dragoons.  The  shots  did  not  strike 
us,  and  we  were  better  mounted  than  the  village  warriors. 
A  friendly  wood  presented  itself;  the  shouts  behind 
us  died  gradually  away ;  and,  drawing  rein,  I  went  on 
through  the  vale  of  the  Red  Horse,  scarce  glancing  at 
the  heights  of  Edgehill,  where  I  was  soon  to  take  part 
in  the  first  battle  of  the  Great  Civil  War. 


128  HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 


V. 

I    AM   CONDUCTED    BEFORE    PRINCE   RUPERT. 

THE  Almighty,  who  is  also  the  All-merciful  and  In 
scrutable,  sends  tears,  agony,  and  utter  wretchedness 
to  private  individuals;  on  nations  he  inflicts  at  stated 
periods  his  great  curse  of  civil  war.  The  human  being 
visited  by  his  displeasure  is  easily  known  by  the  pallor, 
woe-begone  look,  and  dejected  'havior  of  the  visage; 
the  nation  cursed  by  civil  war  is  marked  as  clearly  by 
the  hand  of  the  Almighty. 

In  that  summer  of  1642,  England  was  scarce  recog 
nizable.  The  tranquil  and  smiling  land  of  the  past 
was  dead  and  gone.  You  seemed  to  move  on  the  crust 
of  a  volcano,  and  men's  minds  had  caught  the  fierce 
heat  and  were  burnt  up  by  fever.  As  I  rode  towards 
Nottingham,  I  saw  on  all  sides  the  traces  of  the  evil 
spirit  of  civil  contention.  In  many  a  field  the  ripe 
grain  had  fallen  uncut  and  neglected.  Over  others 
prowled  tramps  and  beggars,  firing  on  the  game.  The 
highways  were  wellnigh  deserted  ;  and  when  you  met  a 
chance  wayfarer  he  eyed  you  sidewise  with  suspicious 
glances,  and  the  hand  under  the  cloak,  you  felt,  grasped 
a  concealed  weapon.  All  the  face  of  the  land  was  torn 
down.  The  fences  were  gone  in  many  places,  for  the 
war  of  cavalry-parties  had  already  begun,  and  the  cattle 
wandered  uncared  for,  trampling  down  the  corn  and 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  129 

meadow-lands.  The  villages  were  either  deserted,  or 
hot-beds  of  agitation  and  gossip.  In  some,  the  shutters 
were  closed,  and  women  glanced  through  the  cracks 
fearfully.  In  others,  sullen  glances  or  ardent  ques 
tions  greeted  you,  as  you  adhered  to  one  or  the  other 
party. 

England  was  thus  transformed,  in  a  day,  as  'twere, 
into  a  war-worn  realm.  Her  people  seemed  to  look 
forward  fearfully  to  some  coming  fate.  Discussions  in 
parliament  had  ended  ;  the  sword  had  replaced  debate; 
the  harsh  thunder  of  cannon  was  about  to  drown  the 
roar  of  hostile  multitudes. 

The  war,  as  I  have  said,  had  already  begun.  At 
Northampton,  Lord  Essex,  general  of  the  parliament 
forces,  lay,  I  heard,  with  an  army  of  about  six  thou 
sand  men.  And  his  horse  were  already  scouring  the 
country  between  that  place  and  Nottingham,  where  the 
king  had  assembled  a  force  scarce  half  as  numerous  as 
his  opponent's.  Thus  the  petite  guerre  of  cavalry  had 
begun,  preluding  the  greater  conflict  of  foot,  and  twice 
I  was  chased  by  the  enemy's  foraging-parties,  who  very 
nearly  made  me  a  prisoner.  I  succeeded  in  evading 
them,  nevertheless,  and  at  near  sunset  reached  the 
pickets  of  the  royal  cavalry  towards  Nottingham. 

My  Guardsman's  uniform  would,  I  supposed,  be 
sufficient  voucher  for  my  loyalty,  but  the  officer  of  the 
picket  regretted  his  inability  to  pass  me  within  the 
royal  lines.  He  was  ordered,  he  said,  to  arrest  all 
persons  coming  northward,  and  send  them  to  head 
quarters.  This  was  reasonable,  if  not  agreeable,  and  I 
went  on  with  the  escort  of  two  men,  to  whom  I  was 
intrusted.  We  rode  half  a  league,  passed  a  large  camp 


130  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

of  dragoons  on  the  edge  of  a  forest,  in  which  fires  had 
been  kindled ;  then  a  tent  on  a  grassy  hill  came  in 
view,  and  before  this  tent  we  halted. 

Out  of  the  tent,  on  the  summit  of  which  floated  the 
colors  of  the  king,  came  a  huge  personage  with  a  cor 
poral's  badges  on  his  arms,  a  long  black  beard,  and  an 
air  of  authority. 

"Your  pisness?"  said  the  new-comer,  with  a  strong 
German  accent. 

The  guard  informed  him  that  I  and  my  servant  had 
been  arrested  at  the  outer  picket. 

"Vait!" 

And  the  giant  retired  into  the  tent,  from  which  he 
soon  reappeared,  with  the  guttural  announcement, — 

"Gome  in!" 

I  entered,  and  found  myself  in  presence  of  a  young 
man  in  a  general's  uniform,  who  was  lying  on  a  scarlet 
cloak  spread  on  the  grass,  and  playing  with  a  white 
spaniel.  The  appearance  of  this  officer  was  martial. 
His  boots  were  covered  with  dust,  his  face  ruddy  from 
exposure,  his  eye  keen  and  piercing,  his  bearing  direct, 
almost  abrupt :  from  head  to  foot,  in  every  trait  of  his 
person,  he  was  a  soldier.  On  a  camp  couch  in  one 
corner  of  the  tent  lay  a  rich  belt,  containing  a  fine 
rapier,  and  from  the  holsters  of  a  superb  saddle  near, 
protruded  the  handles  of  two  highly-decorated  pistols. 
The  officer  was  plainly  either  of  high  rank,  or  with  a 
marked  fondness  for  bright  colors,  or  both.  I  have 
found  eminent  soldiers  careless  of  dress  often,  and 
prone,  indeed,  to  despise  decoration  as  puerile.  The 
young  general  before  me  seemed  to  delight  in  such 
things ;  to  enjoy  the  bright  colors,  the  pomp  and 


HER  MAJESTY  7^HE    QUEEN.  13! 

splendor  of  war.  You  could  see  that  he  was  all  im 
pulse,  promptness,  and  impetuosity.  His  glance  was 
that  of  the  eagle,  and  the  eyes  seemed  ready  to  flame. 
It  was  plain  that  the  first  blast  of  the  bugle  would  pour 
lire  into  this  man, — that  the  hand  would  dart  to  the 
rapier,  the  spur  clash  on  the  stirrup,  the  simple  soldier 
would  replace  the  general,  and  he  would  lead  the 
charge,  sword  in  hand. 

All  this  was  plain  at  a  glance.  The  young  officer 
responded  with  a  look  which  took  in  every  trait  of  my 
person. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  with  a  slight  foreign  accent,  "  who 
are  these  ?' ' 

"  Brisoners,  your  highness,"  returned  the  heavily- 
bearded  giant. 

"  I  am  not  highness ;  I  am  general,"  said  the  officer, 
briefly. 

"  Yes,  sheneral." 

"  Prisoners !  This  gentleman,  from  his  uniform,  is 
one  of  the  queen's  guards." 

"Yes,  highness, — dat  is,  sheneral." 

The  officer  had  risen  abruptly,  repulsing  his  playful 
white  spaniel,  who  continued  to  fawn  on  him. 

"You  were  arrested  at  my  outer  picket,  sir?"  he 
said,  looking  straight  at  me. 

"Yes,  general.  May  I  ask  to  whom  I  have  the 
honor  to  speak?" 

"  To  General  Rupert,  commanding  the  horse  of  the 
king's  army." 

I  bowed  low  to  his  royal  highness  Prince  Rupert, 
nephew  of  his  majesty. 

"Your  arrest,  sir,"  said  the  prince,  "was  in  obe- 


132  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

dience  to  my  general  order.  Your  name,  if  it  please 
you,  and  whence  come  you?" 

"  Edmund  Cecil ;  and  I  am  from  near  Keynton, 
where  I  have  lain  ill  recently,  highness." 

"  Say  sheneral 7"  here  came  from  behind  the  hand 
of  the  huge  corporal,  who  had  edged  towards  me,  and 
gave  me  this  intimation  in  tones  of  subdued  thunder. 

"  Spare  your  counsel,  Hans,"  said  the  prince,  briefly, 
"and  go  find  what  horsemen  are  approaching." 

The  giant  disappeared,  and  the  prince  turned  again 
to  me. 

"What  intelligence,  Mr.  Cecil?  You  have  no 
doubt  looked  and  listened." 

"To  little  purpose,  I  fear,  your  highness.  My  lord 
of  Essex  is  at  Northampton,  with  six  thousand  men, 
'tis  said." 

"Near  seven  thousand.  But  the  state  of  the  coun 
try,  sir?" 

"  'Tis  in  a  fever, — the  parliament  recruiting  every 
where." 

"And  plundering." 

"  'Tis  so  said,  my  lord." 

"  I  will  essay  to  stop  that." 

As  he  spoke,  the  sound  of  horses'  feet  was  heard  in 
front  of  the  tent,  and  an  instant  afterwards  the  gigantic 
corporal  ushered  in  a  dignified  young  gentleman,  thin 
of  figure,  clad  in  civil  dress,  and  with  something  sweet 
and  melancholy  in  his  face. 

"My  lord  Falkland!  You  are  very  welcome,  my 
lord,"  said  the  prince,  cordially  pressing  his  hand. 
Lord  Falkland  bowed,  and  said, — 

"  A  message  from  his  majesty,  your  highness." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  133 

They  went  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  tent,  and 
conversed  for  a  few  moments.  The  prince  nodded. 

"  Say  to  his  majesty  that  his  order  will  be  promptly 
obeyed,  my  lord." 

The  prince  had  scarce  uttered  these  words,  when  a 
prolonged  bellowing  was  heard  without,  and  this  dis 
cordant  sound  was  followed  by  the  neigh  of  horses. 
The  prince  glanced  at  the  huge  corporal,  made  a  ges 
ture,  and  the  worthy  went  out.  A  few  moments  after 
wards  he  returned. 

"  Captured  gattle  and  horses,  highness, — dat  is,  shen- 
eral!" 

"Oh,  highness!"  said  Lord  Falkland,  in  a  low,  sad 
voice,  "  this  is  very  painful !" 

Before  the  prince  could  reply,  a  young  officer  entered 
the  tent,  saluted,  and  said, — 

"Your  orders  have  been  obeyed,  general." 

"The  house  is  fired?" 

"Yes,  general;  and  you  may  see  it  burning." 

The  prince  went  to  the  front  of  the  tent :  I  followed. 
A  ruddy  glare  above  the  southern  woods  indicated  a 
conflagration. 

"It  is  well,"  said  Rupert :  "  that  will  teach  them  a 
lesson." 

A  deep  sigh  came  like  an  echo  to  the  words.  It  had 
issued  from  Lord  Falkland,  who  was  standing  behind 
the  prince. 

"Terrible!  terrible!"  murmured  Falkland. 

Prince  Rupert  wheeled  round,  with  an  angry  flush 
upon  his  brow. 

"  I  make  war  !"  he  said,  abruptly ;  "  and  war  is  not 
rose-water !" 

12 


MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Pardon  me,"  was  Falkland's  low,  sad  response.  "  I 
meant  not  to  offend  your  highness." 

"And  I  am  a  hot-headed  fool,"  exclaimed  Rupert, 
grasping  his  visitor's  hand  ;  "  else  I  had  never  taken 
umbrage  at  words  from  the  soul  of  honor — Falkland  ! ' ' 

He  paused,  and  looked  towards  the  conflagration. 

"This  seems  harsh  to  you,  my  lord,"  he  said.  "Well, 
'tis  just.  The  man  whose  house  I  have  burned  over  his 
head  has  been  merciless  to  the  families  of  my  soldiers, 
pointing  them  out  to  the  vengeance  of  the  parlia 
mentary  troops.  That  was  proved  to  me.  Well,  I 
have  punished  him,  have  driven  off  his  cattle  and 
burned  his  house.  History  will  hate  and  curse  me  for 
these  things,  if  'tis  written  by  friends  of  the  parlia 
ment.  So  be  it ;  but  let  me  repeat,  my  lord, — war  is 
not  rose-water." 

With  these  words,  Prince  Rupert  re-entered  the  tent. 

An  hour  afterwards  I  was  in  Nottingham,  talking  of 
home  and  home- folks  with  my  dear  Harry.  When  we 
fell  asleep,  side  by  side,  we  were  still  murmuring  our 
boyish  talk,  and  Harry's  sweet  smile  went  with  me 
like  sunshine  into  the  dim  and  pleasant  realm  of  dreams. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  135 


VI. 

SWORDS   AND    PLUMES   AT   CECIL   COURT. 

IT  was  about  sunset  on  a  superb  evening,  late  in 
October,  that,  looking  from  an  upper  window  of  Cecil 
Court,  beside  my  father  and  Cicely,  I  saw  the  royal 
forces  move  in  a  long  glittering  line  to  the  summit  of 
the  eminence  called  Edgehill,  near  Keynton. 

The  foes  were  about  to  clash  together.  All  attempts 
to  negotiate  and  compose  the  differences  between  king 
and  parliament  had  failed.  Soon  after  my  arrival  at 
Nottingham,  the  Earl  of  Southampton  and  his  associate 
commissioners,  sent  by  King  Charles  to  London,  had 
returned  and  reported  that  they  had  met  with  scant 
courtesy,  had  received  a  written  reply,  and  had  been 
ordered  to  depart  from  London  without  delay.  When 
the  king  read  the  parliament's  missive,  his  face  dark 
ened,  and  his  ire  was  aroused.  His  antagonists  de 
manded  his  submission, — that  they  should  control  all 
appointments,  occupy  all  fortresses,  and  dictate  all 
public  measures. 

"Should  I  grant  these  demands,"  the  king  ex 
claimed,  in  great  indignation,  "I  should  remain  but 
the  outside,  the  picture — but  the  sign — of  a  king  ! ' ' 

And  I  think  he  was  right  in  that  surmise.  The  par 
liament  distrusted  him  so,  that  they  demanded  extreme 
concessions.  To  have  yielded  then  were  to  have  sur- 


I36  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

rendered  all.  Instead  of  doing  so,  King  Charles  issued 
a  solemn  proclamation  to  his  army,  in  which  he  pro 
tested  the  sincerity  of  his  intent  to  observe  the  laws, 
and  called  on  his  followers  to  march  with  him  and  put 
the  question  to  issue  on  the  battle-field.  The  procla 
mation  was  received  by  the  army  —  then  numbering 
about  ten  thousand  men — with  enthusiasm  ;  and  then 
the  king  moved  from  Nottingham  southward  to  meet 
Lord  Essex,  who  promptly  marched  from  Worcester 
to  accept  battle. 

Thus  the  royal  forces  came  near,  and  were  seen  from 
the  windows  of  Cecil  Court.  It  was  a  superb  and  war 
like  spectacle.  The  ruddy  light  of  sunset  fell,  in  a  sort 
of  glory,  upon  silken  banners  and  bright  scarfs,  bur 
nished  arms  and  glossy  horses.  Foot,  horse,  and  artillery 
moved  slowly  to  the  hill, — a  splendid  phantom,  with 
out  noise,  save  a  stifled  hum,  and  now  and  then  a  bugle- 
note  from  the  cavaliers  of  Rupert. 

All  at  once  a  noise  of  hoofs  on  the  avenue  came  up 
to  the  window.  I  looked  down,  and  saw  the  king, 
Lord  Falkland,  and  a  few  others  spurring  towards  the 
house. 

"  'Tis  his  majesty!  He  is  coming  to  visit  us,"  I 
said. 

"The  king  will  be  most  welcome,"  was  the  response 
of  my  father. 

And,  descending,  he  met  the  king  at  the  great  door, 
and  inclined  profoundly. 

"We  have  come  to  take  possession  of  your  house, 
Mr.  Cecil,"  said  the  king. 

"  Your  majesty  does  my  poor  house  a  very  great 
honor,"  was  my  father's  response,  with  a  second  incli- 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  137 

nation ;  and  he  ushered  the  king  into  the  main  recep 
tion-room  of  the  establishment,  whither  the  Viscount 
Falkland  and  some  other  noblemen  followed  him. 

An  excellent  dinner  was  speedily  served,  and  the 
noble  guests — kings  and  noblemen  are  but  men,  and 
grow  hungry,  reader — evidently  derived  great  satis 
faction  therefrom.  And  let  me  pause  here  an  instant, 
to  notice  a  peculiarity  of  my  father's  menage.  He 
would  always  live  as  well,  every  day,  as  his  fortunes 
permitted,  not  starving  his  household  for  a  month  to 
give  a  grand  entertainment  to  invited  company. 

"  'Tis  but  a  mean  manner  of  living  at  the  best,"  he 
would  say,  "  to  keep  your  fine  rooms  and  best  food  and 
full  dress  for  state  occasions ;  to  live  in  a  cuddy,  stint  your 
table,  and  go  slovenly  before  your  family,  in  order  to 
dress  splendidly  and  make  a  show  when  strangers  enter 
your  door.  My  family  are  as  worthy  of  rich  food  and 
the  best  apartments  as  any  one,  and  I  make  my  toilette 
as  scrupulously  for  my  daughter  Cicely  as  for  my 
Lady  Duchess." 

He  certainly  carried  out  his  philosophy.  His  dress 
was  ever  the  same  in  public  and  in  private ;  the  very 
best  apartments  at  Cecil  Court  were  used  every  day, 
and  the  table  was  spread  daily  with  the  best  food. 
Then  the  door  was  opened ;  every  one  was  welcome, 
whether  rich  or  poor,  high  or  low,  titled  personage 
or  plain  countryman,  all  found  a  cordial  welcome, 
and  were  greeted  equally  by  the  master  of  the  man 
sion.  I  don't  think  my  father  was  politer  to  one 
than  to  another.  He  was  a  very  proud  and  simple 
gentleman  of  the  old  regime.  On  this  evening  he  said 
to  the  king,  "Enter,  your  majesty:  you  are  welcome," 


138  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

as  he  would  have  uttered  the  same  welcome  to  any 
other  visitor. 

The  king  retired  after  dining  to  the  reception-room, 
which  was  thronged  with  noblemen  and  officers.  Cecil 
Court,  without  and  within,  had  suddenly  become  a 
general's  headquarters.  Couriers  went  and  came,  with 
clashing  heels  and  rattling  spurs.  Officers  clad  in 
superb  uniforms  stood  around  the  table,  beside  which 
the  king  sat,  writing  orders  or  reading  reports.  In  the 
grounds  without,  horses  were  tethered,  champing  their 
bits  and  stamping.  In  the  grass-plat  in  front  of  the 
hall  had  been  set  up  the  king's  banner. 

His  chief  officers  had  come  at  his  summons.  These 
were  Lord  Lindesey,  commanding-in-chief;  Prince 
Rupert,  commanding  the  horse ;  Sir  Jacob  Astley,  the 
foot ;  Sir  Arthur  Aston,  the  dragoons ;  and  Sir  John 
Heydon,  the  artillery.  I  forget  the  troop  of  Guards, 
whose  servants  formed  a  second  troop,  always  march 
ing  with  their  masters.  The  first  were  under  Lord 
Bernard  Stuart,  the  second  under  Sir  William  Killigrew. 
The  wealthiest  young  noblemen  of  the  kingdom  had 
flocked  to  the  Guards  now:  'twas  said,  and  with  truth, 
I  think,  that  the  estates  and  revenues  of  these  young 
private  soldiers  exceeded  the  estates  and  revenues  of 
all  the  members  of  parliament  and  the  House  of  Lords, 
when  the  seats  of  the  two  houses  were  full. 

Among  these  gay  young  volunteers  was  one  whose 
name,  when  I  heard  it  first  at  Nottingham,  had  made 
me  start.  Walking  arm  in  arm  with  Harry,  I  had 
seen  him  beckon  to  a  youth  of  about  twenty,  with 
bright  blue  eyes,  chestnut  curls,  laughing  face,  and 
superbly  clad. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  139 

"  Here's  my  brother  Ned,  Frank,"  Harry  said. 
"  Come  and  shake  hands  with  him." 

And  as  the  youth  came  forward,  with  an  expression 
of  youthful  buoyancy  and  sunshine  in  his  face,  Harry 
added,  to  me, — 

"This  is  Frank  Villiers,  brother  of  our  fair  friend 
the  maid  of  honor.  We  are  sworn  friends;  and  you 
must  be  his  friend  too." 

The  youth  squeezed  my  hand  cordially,  looking  at 
me  with  his  frank  eyes  and  smile ;  and  in  ten  minutes 
we  were  familiar  friends.  Three  days  afterwards,  I 
seemed  to  have  known  him  from  his  very  childhood ; 
and  now  he  had  ridden  with  me  to  Cecil  Court,  and 
was  laughing  with  Cicely  on  the  portico  in  the  moon 
light. 

The  king  was  busy  until  midnight,  and  then,  rising, 
exchanged  a  few  words  with  Viscount  Falkland,  his 
secretary  of  state. 

"All  is  ready,  you  see,  my  lord,"  he  said,  "and  'tis 
probable  we  shall  fight  on  the  morrow.  Come,  sum 
mon  back  your  smiles:  you  seem  woe-begone  to-night." 

Lord  Falkland  sighed.  "I  know  not  what  oppresses 
me  so,  your  majesty,"  he  said. 

The  king  looked  at  him  with  a  glance  full  of  melan 
choly.  "  'Tis  that  woman's  heart  you  possess,  my  lord. 
You  shrink  from  battle  and  blood  !  See,  I  utter  un 
gracious  words.  I  seem  to  impute  weakness  to  Falk 
land,  the  bravesfcof  all  the  brave  gentlemen  of  my 
kingdom  !" 

"  Your  majesty  knows " 

"That  'tis  kindness,  not  weakness?  Yes!  Your 
heart  is  bleeding,  Falkland,  at  the  blood  and  agony 


1 40  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

which  to-morrow  will  bring.  Well,  my  heart  too 
bleeds  ;  but  I  am  not  the  author  of  this  conflict.  I 
shrink  from  the  future ;  but  I  go  on  in  my  course. 
The  English  monarchy  shall  not  fall,  in  my  person, 
without  a  struggle,  Falkland.  And  now  good-night." 

My  father,  who  waited,  ushered  the  king  to  his  apart 
ment,  bearing  a  silver  sconce  before  him.  A  few  mo 
ments  after  their  disappearance,  my  father  called  me.  I 
went  up  rapidly,  and  the  king,  who  sat  beside  a  table, 
upon  which  lay  an  open  portfolio,  said  to  me, — 

"I  have  a  service  to  ask  of  you,  Mr.  Cecil.  Are  you 
well  mounted?" 

"  Very  well,  your  majesty." 

"  I  wish  you  to  go  to  Holland." 

I  bowed  low,  with  a  beating  heart.  The  king  had 
turned  to  my  father. 

"Two  gray-haired  gentlemen  like  ourselves,  Mr. 
Cecil,"  he  said,  "can  understand  each  other.  I  would 
write  to  my  wife.  To-night  my  thoughts  have  never 
left  her.  I  shall  go  into  action  to-morrow,  and,  like  a 
good  husband,  think  of  one  who  is  thinking  of  me." 

Taking  a  pen  as  he  spoke,  the  king  began  to  write. 
The  letter,  which  filled  two  sheets,  was  at  last  finished 
and  securely  sealed,  the  king  stamping  the  wax  with 
a  signet-ring  which  he  wore.  He  then  extended  the 
package  towards  me,  but  suddenly  drew  it  back. 

"No,  I  will  wait  until  the  event  is  decided  to 
morrow,  and  add  some  lines,"  he  saj^.  "  'Twould  be 
cruel  to  write  thus  on  the  eve  of  battle,  and  leave  her 
majesty  in  doubt  of  everything, — perhaps  to  torture 
herself  with  fears.  Your  pardon,  Mr.  Cecil,"  he  added 
to  my  father:  "  I  think  aloud,  but  I  take  no  shame  to 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  I4I 

myself  for  my  thoughts.  To-night  I  am  only  a  poor 
husband  thinking  of  his  absent  wife." 

He  turned  towards  me,  and  added,  "  'Twould  disap 
point  you  too,  sir,  if  I'm  not  mistaken.  Go  into  action 
wiih  your  friends  to-morrow.  I  shall  see  and  share  all. 
And  if  you  survive,  come  to  me  immediately  after  the 
battle." 

I  saluted  and  retired.  Half  an  hour  afterwards  I  was 
in  camp,  and  said  to  Harry,  beside  whom  I  lay, — 

"lam  going  to  Holland  to-morrow,  Harry.  I  shall 
see  her  again, — Frances  Villiers  !" 


VII. 

BROTHERS. 

As  I  uttered  the  words,  "I  shall  see  her  again, 
— Frances  Villiers  !"  I  felt  Harry  start. 

"  You  say  that  in  an  ardent  tone,  Ned,"  he  replied. 
"  Is  the  prospect  so  delightful?" 

I  was  silent,  and  felt  a  burning  blush  rush  to  my  face 
in  the  darkness. 

"  True  !"  I  stammered.  "  I  have  never  spoken  of 
this  even  to  you,  my  dearest  Harry.  But  'tis  out  now  ! 
Yes,  I  look  forward  to  the  moment  when  I  shall  see 
Frances  Villiers  again  with  the  wildest  beating  of  the 
heart.  When  the  king  said,  '  I  wish  you  to  go  to  Hol 
land,'  the  words  were  like  music.  How  could  I  feel 
aught  but  joy,  or  listen  calmly,  as  his  majesty  spoke 


1 42  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

thus,  Harry?  The  person  I'll  see  there  has  long  been 
dearer  to  me  than  all  else  in  this  world  !" 

Followed  a  gushing  oration,  full  of  passionate  love 
and  general  froth  and  absurdity.  What  makes  young 
gentlemen  when  they  are  in  love  insist  upon  bestow 
ing  their  raptures,  with  a  sort  of  drunken  ardor,  on  the 
nearest  person  ?  They  grow  maudlin  when  the  fit  is  on 
them,  and  talk  on  through  the  night-watches  forever. 
So  I  opened  my  heart  to  Harry,  and  told  him  all,  as 
we  lay  there  on  Edgehill, — how  I  had  loved  Frances 
Villiers  from  our  first  meeting  nearly,  had  dreamed  of 
her  day  and  night  when  at  Hampton  Court,  and  had 
sighed  bitterly  when  she  went  away, — my  sun,  moon, 
and  starlight  all  combined  !  This,  and  all  the  rest !  I 
spare  the  reader,  as  I  did  not  spare  poor  Harry.  He 
listened  in  silence  for  a  long  time,  and  scarce  inter 
rupted  me  to  the  end.  There  was  something  strange 
in  his  voice,  I  thought, — I  did  not  note  it  then,  but 
remembered  it  afterwards. 

"  Well,  Ned,"  he  said,  at  length,  forcing  a  laugh,  "I 
see  you  are  regularly  a  victim ;  but  I  don't  wonder, 
since  the  enchantress  is  the  fair  Miss  Villiers,  the  em 
press  of  all  hearts  !" 

He  laughed  again;  but  the  laugh  was  discordant. 

"  What  ails  you,  Harry?  Your  laugh  is  strange  !"  I 
said. 

"Ails  me?  Nothing,  Ned.  What  coulJail  me?  I'm 
not  anxious  about  the  fight  to-morrow  on  Mr.  Harry 
Cecil's  score,  I  swear  to  you.  If  I  felt  solicitude, 
'twould  be  on  Ned  Cecil's  account,  brother." 

His  voice  had  softened  to  the  sweetest  music  :  there 
was  no  longer  the  tone  of  frolic  laughter  in  it,  but  an 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  143 

earnest  kindness  and  goodness  that  touched  me  to  the 
heart,  as  he  ended  with  that  word  "brother,"  never 
employed  save  in  moments  of  loving  regard. 

"  Then  we  think  of  each  other,"  I  said;  "  for  I  have 
prayed  for  you,  Harry  !  You  are  my  only  brother,  and 
the  very  best  brother  that  man  ever  had  !" 

Harry's  old  kind  laugh  rang  out. 

"Good!  Here  we  are  making  protestations,"  he 
said.  "  What's  the  advantage  ?  Don't  I  know  that  you 
love  me,  Ned,  as  I  love  you  ?  Since  we  were  children 
we  never  have  quarreled  but  once,  when  I  beat  you 
and  then  went  and  sat  on  the  steps  and  cried  about  it ! 
I'll  back  Ned  Cecil  for  a  brother  against  any  man  in 
England  !  And  now  let's  go  to  sleep;  'tis  near  day, 
and  the  fight  may  open  at  dawn.  So  you  go  to  Hol 
land? — Well,  present  my  regards  to  the  fair  Miss 
Frances.  She's  worth  loving,  Ned, — forward  ! — I  mean 
to  be  present  at  your  wedding  !" 

The  words  were  uttered  in  a  low  tone,  and  Harry 
turned  away,  as  though  going  to  sleep.  Suddenly  he 
wheeled  round,  and  placed  his  arm  around  my  neck. 

"  God  bless  my  brother !"  he  said,  in  the  same  strange 
tone  :  "that  comes  straight  from  my  heart,  Ned  ! — and 
now  good-night." 

A  moment  afterwards,  a  long  heavy  breathing  seemed 
to  indicate  that  Harry  slept.  I  knew  afterwards  that, 
like  myself,  he  lay  awake  until  dawn.  Then  the  bugle 
sounded,  and  the  camps  were  astir. 

The  day  of  battle  had  come, — the  first  battle  of  the 
English  Civil  War. 


144  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


VIII. 

I   VISIT   THE   HAGUE. 

THESE  memoirs,  may  it  please  the  reader,  are  not 
a  history  of  the  reign  of  his  majesty  King  Charles  I., 
nor  even  a  narrative  of  the  military  occurrences  of 
the  "Great  Rebellion."  Guns  will  roar  on  the  page, 
bugles  sound,  and  swords  clash,  sometimes;  but  'tis 
the  adventures  of  Edmund  Cecil  which  will  chiefly 
compose  the  story. 

Therefore  of  Edgehill  I  present  but  a  passing  sketch ; 
and  I  think  all  battles  had  best  be  treated  in  that 
manner.  What  are  they  but  a  hurly-burly  of  shouts, 
explosions,  and  cheers  or  groans  !  The  movements  of 
columns  or  wings  are  described  in  a  few  words;  then 
nothing  is  left  but  that  confused  struggle  of  the  op 
posing  masses.  I  have  been  in  many  battles;  and  all 
resemble  each  other  in  the  one  great  feature  of  men  in 
clothes  of  different  colors  essaying  to  tear  each  other 
to  pieces. 

The  king's  army,  of  about  ten  thousand  men,  was 
drawn  up  on  the  slope  of  Edgehill.  In  the  vale  of  the 
Red  Horse,  beneath,  the  ten  or  fifteen  thousand  men 
of  Lord  Essex  confronted  them  in  order  of  battle.  All 
day  the  opponents  faced  each  other  thus.  Towards 
sunset  the  battle  began.  With  fluttering  banners, 
blasts  of  the  bugle,  and  the  roar  of  artillery,  the  royal 
forces  advanced  to  charge  those  of  the  parliament. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  145 

Prince  Rupert,  on  our  right,  commanding  the  horse, 
began  the  struggle,  as  was  thereafter  his  wont.  He 
charged  the  left  wing  of  Lord  Essex,  consisting  of  a 
strong  body  of  cavalry ;  and,  riding  with  the  Guards 
in  front,  I  witnessed  a  singular  incident.  The  troop 
of  horse  we  were  charging  suddenly  fired  their  pistols 
into  the  ground  ;  their  commanding  officer  spurred  to 
meet  us,  and  made  a  parade-salute  with  his  sabre  to 
Prince  Rupert,  with  whom  he  exchanged  a  few  words ; 
an  instant  afterwards  the  troop  had  wheeled  and  ranged 
themselves  on  the  side  of  the  king.  Sir  Faithful  For- 
tescue — forced,  'twas  said,  to  march  with  the  parlia 
ment's  forces  against  his  will — had  changed  his  flag  on 
the  day  of  battle,  for  which  I,  a  royalist,  could  never 
forgive  him. 

Struck  thus  by  the  whole  weight  of  Rupert's  horse 
men,  the  enemy's  left  wing  gave  way.  A  wild  chaos 
followed,  the  pursuers  cutting  down  the  fugitives  as 
they  fled.  They  were  followed  nearly  a  league  thus; 
and  Heaven  knows  how  far  the  pursuit  would  have  ex 
tended,  had  not  a  thunder  of  shouts  in  the  distance 
recalled  the  prince  to  a  sense  of  his  indiscretion. 

Sir  Arthur  Aston  had  broken  the  right  of  Lord  Essex, 
as  Rupert  had  broken  the  left;  but  the  infantry  of  the 
king  was  thus  stripped  of  its  supports  of  horse.  Sir 
William  Balfour,  commanding  the  parliament's  reserve 
force,  advanced ;  the  lines  clashed  together  furiously. 
Lord  Lindsey,  our  commander,  was  mortally  wounded 
and  taken  prisoner  ;  and  Sir  Edmund  Verney,  bearing 
the  king's  standard,  fell  dead, — the  standard  falling 
into  the  enemy's  hands. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  Prince  Rupert  led 
G  13 


146  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

back  his  horse  from  the  ill-timed  pursuit.  He  came 
too  late  to  be  of  much  service.  The  king's  standard 
was  recaptured ;  but  the  enemy  continued  to  present 
an  unbroken  front.  Then  night  descended  : — the  two 
armies  retained  their  positions ;  the  watch-fires  blazed 
in  long  lines  within  sight  of  each  other  in  the  vale  of 
the  Red  Horse: — the  fight  of  Edgehill,  which  left 
five  thousand  dead  men  on  the  field,  had  resulted  in 
success  to  neither  side. 

The  sole  ground  for  claiming  a  victory  over  the 
parliament  was  the  fact  that  Essex  retired,  and  the 
king  advanced  towards  London  afterwards.  But  this  I 
did  not  witness.  I  was  on  my  way  to  Holland. 

At  midnight  his  majesty  had  delivered  to  me  his 
letter  to  the  queen,  containing,  doubtless,  additional 
matter  relating  to  the  battle. 

"This  with  speed  to  her  majesty  at  the  Hague, 
Mr.  Cecil,"  the  king  said.  "At  Yarmouth  a  vessel 
awaits  you :  here  is  my  order  to  the  captain.  Travel 
rapidly  ;  and,  if  you  are  in  peril,  destroy  the  letter.  A 
good  journey,  sir  !  I  would  fain  go  in  your  place." 

I  took  the  letter,  bowing  low,  and  ten  minutes  after 
wards  was  in  the  saddle. 

A  hand  in  the  darkness  was  placed  on  my  knee. 

"You  forget  to  bid  me  good-by,  Ned  !" 

The  voice  was  gentle, — almost  tender.  In  my  foolish 
joy  at  the  thought  of  seeing  Frances  Villiers,  I  had 
quite  forgotten  my  dearest  Harry ;  but  he  had  not  for 
gotten  me. 

His  arm  was  placed  around  me :  a  few  words,  and 
we  had  parted. 

Of  all  persons  after  my  father,  I  loved  this  one  the 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  147 

best.  'Tis  my  pride  and  joy  now  to  remember  that  he 
too  loved  me. 

But  I  did  not  think  of  Harry  then  ;  nor  did  I  know 
the  full  wealth  of  that  noble  heart  and  the  extent  of 
my  brother's  self-sacrifice. 

I  passed  across  the  country  at  full  speed,  avoiding 
the  enemy's  scouting-parties,  reached  Yarmouth,  found 
the  king's  vessel — a  small  sloop — waiting,  and  gave  the 
captain  the  order.  We  put  to  sea  at  once,  and,  after  a 
stormy  passage,  saw  the  low  shores  of  Holland  appear 
like  a  long  green  line  on  the  water. 

In  due  time  I  disembarked  at  the  Hague  and  deliv 
ered  the  king's  letter  to  her  majesty. 


IX. 

A   GOOD   WIFE. 

I  WENT  to  Holland,  expecting  to  return  to  England 
at  once.  I  remained  there  from  October  until  the 
month  of  February,  1643. 

The  queen  had  said  to  me,  "  I  wish  your  assistance 
here,  Mr.  Cecil.  Remain,  therefore  ;  but  do  not  fear  : 
you  shall  soon  see  England  again." 

As  her  majesty  thus  spoke,  sitting  in  an  apartment 
of  the  palace  of  the  Princes  of  Orange,  at  the  Hague, 
her  face  glowed  with  animation,  and  her  eyes  were  full 
of  courage. 


148  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"You  are  a  friend  of  the  royal  cause,  sir,  and  a 
gentleman  of  discretion,  too,"  her  majesty  was  pleased 
to  add,  smiling.  "I  shall  therefore  take  you  into  our 
confidence  and  inform  you  of  our  good  fortune.  See 
this  paper:  we  have  the  promise  of  these  round  sums 
from  the  worthy  burghers  here." 

She  held  out  a  paper  to  me,  and  I  perused  its  con 
tents.  Rotterdam  engaged  to  lend  forty  thousand 
guilders,  and  the  bank  at  the  same  city  the  sum  of 
twenty-five  thousand  more.  The  bank  at  Amsterdam 
promised  eight  hundred  and  forty-five  thousand  more. 
Merchants  at  the  Hague,  one  hundred  and  sixty-six 
thousand  more.  Another  merchant's  house  offered  two 
hundred  and  thirteen  thousand  two  hundred,  on  the 
security  of  the  queen's  pearls.  Six  rubies  were  accepted 
in  pawn  for  forty  thousand  more.  From  the  paper,  in 
a  word,  I  learned  how  successful  her  majesty  had  been. 
She  had  the  promise  of,  and  afterwards  did  actually 
receive,  from  these  various  sources,  more  than  two 
millions  of  pounds  sterling. 

I  raised  my  eyes  from  the  paper,  and  fixed  them 
upon  the  animated  face  of  the  queen. 

"  The  worthy  burgomasters  of  this  good  country 
have  not  surrendered  without  a  desperate  resistance," 
her  majesty  added,  laughing.  "They  exhibited  at 
first  little  favor  towards  me,  and,  indeed,  scant  respect 
for  my  person.  They  entered  my  presence  with  their 
heads  covered  ;  threw  themselves  unbidden  into  chairs 
before  me ;  stared  at  me  in  the  manner  of  persons 
viewing  some  strange  wild  animal ;  and,  when  I  spoke 
of  money,  more  than  once  turned  their  backs  and 
marched  from  the  room." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN,  149 

" 'Tis  not  possible!"  I  said.  "And  could  your 
majesty  endure  such  treatment?" 

"  Without  a  word,  Mr.  Cecil.  The  worthy  burghers 
could  not  repulse  me.  I  responded  to  all  their  dis 
courtesy  with  the  sweetest  smiles.  I  would  not  see  the 
beavers  remaining  on  their  heads;  I  had  chairs  brought 
them,  and  begged  they  would  be  seated.  Never  was 
bankrupt  merchant  more  polite  to  those  who  could  as 
sist  him.  And  I  have  triumphed  despite  everything ; 
despite  Sir  Walter  Strickland,  the  parliament's  agent 
here,  a  brother  of  Sir  William,  of  the  enemy's  side  in 
England.  I  have  triumphed,  and  shall  soon  set  out  for 
England  with  an  armament.-  His  majesty's  need  is  sore 
there,  and  my  assistance  will  not  arrive  too  soon.  The 
gentlemen  of  the  parliament  seem  inspired  with  a  veri 
table  fury  against  us.  I  say  us,  since  'tis  my  pride  to 
have  secured  at  least  one-half  their  enmity  !  They  ex 
haust  every  effort,  I  am  told.  Plate,  jewels,  even  the 
thimbles  and  bodkins  of  the  worthy  burghers'  wives, 
pour  into  the  treasury  at  Guildhall,  to  support  the 
'good  cause.'  Why  then  should  not  I,  in  my  turn, 
give  my  jewels  ?  The  good  dames  of  London  rush  to 
the  assistance  of  Mr.  Pym  and  Mr.  Cromwell  and 
the  leaders  of  the  'godly.'  A  poor  'malignant'  wife, 
then,  may  be  pardoned  for  essaying  to  aid  her  hus 
band!" 

So  spoke  the  queen.  Whatever  her  faults,  she  was 
assuredly  a  brave  and  devoted  wife.  Throughout  all 
those  stormy  times  this  fealty  to  her  husband  shines 
clearly.  At  Newark,  once,  when  the  ladies  petitioned 
that  she  would  not  march  till  Nottingham  was  taken, 
she  replied, — 

13* 


150  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Ladies,  affairs  of  this  nature  are  not  in  our  sphere. 
I  am  commanded  by  the  king  to  make  all  the  haste  to 
him  that  I  can.  You  will  receive  this  advantage,  at 
least,  by  my  answer,  though  I  cannot  grant  your  peti 
tion:  you  may  learn,  by  my  example,  to  obey  your 
husbands !" 

I  see  a  charming  French  wit  in  that  reply,  and  good 
sense  too,  I  think.  I  finish  the  sentence  with  trepida 
tion,  knowing  some  fair  dames  who  repudiate  such 
humility.  'Tis  taught  in  the  holy  volume,  but  is  going 
out  of  fashion. 

So  I  remained  at  the  Hague  until  February,  1643, 
before  which  time  her  majesty  had  not  perfected  her 
arrangements  for  returning  to  England. 

I  shall  say  little  of  that  time:  the  days  followed  and 
resembled  each  other  too.  A  flat  country,  and  a  flat 
life  there;  or  'twould  have  been  flat,  the  life  I  led, 
but  for  the  presence  of  a  person  who  was  very  dear  to 
me.  With  one  scene,  in  which  this  person  bore  part, 
I  will  pass  from  Holland.  I  would  omit  even  this, 
willingly;  but  'tis  impossible. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  151 


X. 

MY   FATE. 

r 

I  PAUSE,  and  lean  my  forehead  on  my  hand,  and 
laugh.  I  did  not  laugh  then  :  the  scene  I  speak  of  did 
not  arouse  my  merriment. 

It  took  place  at  Helvoetsluys,  a  country  palace  of 
the  Prince  of  Orange,  whither  the  queen  went  on  a 
visit,  towards  the  spring,  taking  her  suite  with  her. 

An  old  park,  beyond  which  the  sluggish  waters  of  a 
canal  were  seen, — the  country  around  flat  and  pro 
saic  >  the  park  bare  and  dreary  with  its  leafless  trees, — 
amid  such  a  scene  I  was  walking  at  twilight  with  Frances 
Villiers,  and  had  just  made  a  passionate  speech,  to  which 
the  young  lady  had  listened  with  a  burning  blush. 

Through  the  mists  that  have  gathered  in  all  the  years 
since  that  moment,  I  can  see  her  plainly.  She  wore  a 
dress  of  red  brocade,  and  had  thrown  some  furs  around 
her  shoulders.  From  beneath  a  silken  hood  her  great 
eyes  shone,  half  covered,  as  her  head  sank,  by  curls ; 
her  cheeks  were  crimson  with  that  sudden  blush ;  and 
the  hand  I  held  in  my  own  was  bent  upward,  with  the 
palm  downward,  so  that  the  round  white  wrist  was  bent. 

The  hand  tried  to  release  itself,  and  some  words  came 
in  a  sort  of  murmur  from  the  lips,  turned  away  from 
me. 

"  Have  pity  on  me  !  You  know  now  that  I  love  you 
more  than  my  life !  You  must  have  seen  it  all  these 
days.  Now  I  speak,  and  await  my  fate  !" 


I5 2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Something  like  this  escaped  from  the  young  man 
holding  the  hand  of  the  girl ;  and  a  long  deep  breath 
which  she  drew,  as  though  to  relieve  her  bosom  from 
a  weight  upon  it,  filled  the  lover  with  delicious  hope. 

Alas! 

It  came  ! — that  reply  which  so  many  a  gay  gallant 
has  received  in  this  world  : 

"I  cannot ! — oh,  no!  Why  force  me  to  this,  Mr. 
Cecil?" 

She  stopped,  and  all  at  once  her  confusion  seemed 
to  disappear.  Her  head  turned  towards  me  ;  the  great 
eyes  were  full  of  calm  goodness  and  sweetness;  the 
blushes  had  disappeared,  and  the  hand  was  gently  with 
drawn. 

"There  is  something  terrible  in  this,"  she  mur 
mured.  "Our  interview  is  doubly  unfortunate,  Mr. 
Cecil." 

"  Terrible?— unfortunate?" 

"Is  it  not  unfortunate  when " 

She  paused. 

"  Speak  ! — you  torture  me,"  I  said. 

"I  would  fain  speak,  Mr.  Cecil,"  shfr  said,  with 
earnest  feeling,  "but  I  know  not  how  to  tell  you  all. 
'Tis  hard  for  a  maiden  to  say  what  I  desire  to  utter. 
And  yet — 'tis  better,  is  it  not,  ever  to  be  frank  and 
open?" 

"  A  thousand  times  better !    Speak  thus,  I  pray  you  !" 

She  raised  her  eyes,  which  had  been  cast  down  for  an 
instant,  and  they  beamed  with  candor  and  goodness. 

"We  are  friends;  I  value  your  friendship:  will 
you  then  permit  me  to  speak  as  your  friend,  with  the 
unreserve  even  of  a  sister  ?  Do  not  woo  me,  sir : 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  ^3 

'twould  bring  unhappiness :  I  have  read  in  books  that 
'tis  terrible  when  two  brothers  are  rival  suitors  !" 

Her  face  flushed  again,  and,  as  she  thus  spoke,  she 
turned  towards  the  palace. 

I  followed  in  a  sort  of  stupor.  '  Tis  terrible  when 
two  brothers  are  rival  suitors!  Those  words  rang  in 
my  brain,  and  confused  me  like  a  blow.  Harry  was  a 
suitor  of  Frances  Villiers,  then  !  I  had  never  dreamed 
of  that,  regarding  them  as  friends  only ;  now  the  an 
nouncement  came  suddenly  that  I  was  my  dear  brother's 
rival. 

"  God  help  me  !"  I  groaned,  at  length;  "why  was 
this  concealed  from  me?  What  evil  fate  has  placed  me 
in  opposition  to  my  dearest  brother?" 

"Evil  indeed,  sir!"  murmured  the  young  girl: 
"were  that  brothers'  love  to  be  broken  by  me,  I 
should  die  of  grief  and  shame." 

I  walked  on  in  silence  beside  her,  and  we  drew  near 
the  entrance  to  the  palace.  Suddenly  she  turned  her 
head  and  fixed  her  eyes  upon  me.  The  earnest  glance 
seemed  to  read  all  that  was  passing  in  my  mind. 

"There  is  something  I  should  add,"  she  said,  in  a 
low  tone;  "and  I  will  not  shrink  now.  Yes,  your 
brother  is  my  suitor;  but  I  have  no  heart  for  any  one, 
sir.  My  life — like  my  character,  perhaps — is  a  strange 
one,  Mr.  Cecil.  I  am  an  orphan,  nearly  alone  in  the 
world  :  my  life  is  dedicated  to  but  one  great  sentiment, 
— my  love  for  the  queen.  I  shall  never  marry.  For 
get  me !  those  are  the  last  words  I  said  to  your  brother, 
Mr.  Cecil." 

She  went  up  the  great  staircase  slowly,  leaving  me 
standing  at  the  foot. 


I54  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Then  Harry  loved  her, — and  he  had  bid  me  good- 
speed  in  my  wooing! 

My  face  must  have  flushed  ;  a  sudden  warmth  made 
itself  felt  in  my  heart,  as  I  remembered  my  brother's 
last  greeting  when  I  left  him. 

"Well,  'tis  fortunate,"  I  muttered,  "that  I  have 
received  my  quietus  too  !  'Twill  make  my  course  easier, 
my  resolution  from  this  moment  not  to  stand  in  the 
path  of  my  dear  Harry.  He  abandons  the  field  to  me, 
— I  abandon  it  to  him.  My  heart  may  break ;  at  least 
I  shall  not  be  dishonored." 

Do  you  smile,  reader,  and  say  that  all  this  was  ro 
mantic  and  high-flown?  Would  that  to-day  my  heart 
were  as  fresh  and  true  and  unselfish  as  'twas  then,  when 
I  gave  up  the  love  of  a  woman  for  the  love  I  bore  my 
brother  ! 


BOOK    III. 
I. 

THE   ADVENTURES    OF   A   QUEEN. 

THESE  memoirs,  fortunately,  deal  much  more  in  in 
cident  than  in  sentiment.  All  the  love-making  they 
contain  was  made  by  my  humble  self,  you  see,  friend ; 
and,  looking  back  now,  those  scenes  impress  me  as 
exquisitely  absurd. 

Have  your  laugh,  therefore,  reader,  at  that  interview 
in  the  park  at  Helvoetsluys ;  then  come  with  me  to 
some  scenes  which  will  possess  more  interest. 

We  are  going  to  return  to  England.  The  queen 
had  received  her  two  million  pounds  sterling.  With 
the  larger  portion  she  had  bought  artillery  and  other 
munitions;  and  on  a  clear  day  of  February,  1643,  she 
sailed  from  Scheveling,  in  a  first-class  ship,  the  Prin 
cess  Royal,  with  eleven  transports, — the  whole  con 
voyed  by  a  war-fleet  under  command  of  Admiral  Van 
Tromp. 

The  weather  had  promised  to  be  fine ;  but  the  heavens 
speedily  clouded  over.  Then  a  violent  northeasterly 
gale  began  to  roar,  and  the  seas  to  dash.  With  every 
moment  the  wind  seemed  to  become  more  violent ; 
and  I  shall  never  forget  the  ludicrous  scenes  which 

(155) 


156  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

took  place  on  the  Princess  Royal.  There,  every  one, 
save  the  queen,  had  fallen  a  prey  to  sea-sickness.  The 
ladies  of  her  suite  were  tied  in  their  small  beds,  I  was 
told,  to  secure  them  from  the  tossing  of  the  ship.  All 
was  wailing  and  moaning,  prayers  for  deliverance,  and 
vows  against  again  tempting  the  horrors  of  the  great 
deep.  In  the  general  confusion,  scarce  an  attempt 
was  made  to  preserve  etiquette.  Those  who  essayed 
to  serve  the  queen  rolled  and  fell  as  they  approached 
her, — thereby  causing  her  to  laugh  heartily,  with  her 
pleasant  sense  of  humor. 

The  storm  jgrew  ever  more  violent ;  and  now  the 
ship  seemed  about  to  founder.  Then  the  ludicrous 
character  of  the  spectacle  presented  reached  its  high 
est  point.  The  ladies  of  the  suite  gave  up  hope,  and 
began  to  shout  aloud  their  confessions  to  the  attendant 
priests.  The  priests  were  in  wretched  plight,  as  they 
shared  the  terrible  nausea ;  and  as  the  strange  confes 
sions  were  cried  out  at  the  top  of  the  fair  ladies'  voices, 
they  vainly  strove  to  pay  attention, — pale,  woe-begone, 
and  as  wretched  as  their  penitents. 

In  the  midst  of  all  sat  the  queen,  looking  on  and 
listening.  At  last  the  scene  overpowered  her,  and  she 
burst  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"For  shame,  ladies!"  she  said.  "See!  there  are 
gentlemen  at  the  door  who  hear  you  !" 

And  indeed  several  of  the  queen's  gentlemen  were 
looking  on,  and  listening  to  the  strange  revelations. 

The  queen  shrugged  her  fair  shoulders  after  the 
French  fashion,  and  added, — 

"  Well,  I  suppose  the  extremity  of  your  fears  takes 
away  the  shame  of  confessing  such  misdeeds  in  public  !" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  157 

And,  rising,  she  took  a  step  forward  to  leave  the 
cabin.  As  she  did  so,  the  ship  rolled  suddenly,  and 
the  queen  would  have  fallen  had  I  not  hastened  to  her. 
I  received  her  in  my  arms,  and  she  clung  to  me, — the 
royal  head  upon  my  shoulder !  The  sea  is  terribly 
democratic.  The  arms  of  a  subject  were  around  his 
queen  ! — for  a  moment  only,  however :  her  majesty 
regained  her  footing  at  once,  and  ascended  to  the 
deck. 

Here,  leaning  on  the  rail,  and  gazing  with  perfect 
calmness  upon  the  wild  waters  lashed  to  fury  by  the 
storm,  the  queen  uttered  these  words  to  the  few  per 
sons  who  had  followed  her : 

"  Comfort  yourselves,  mes  cheres  ! — queens  of  Eng 
land  are  never  drowned  !" 

They  were  brave  words;  and  'twas  a  heart  braver 
than  many  a  man's  from  which  they  came. 

The  tempest  continued  day  and  night  for  many 
days ;  and  finally  the  Princess  Royal  and  the  whole 
fleet  were  beaten  back  to  the  coast  of  Holland, — all 
but  two  of  the  vessels,  which  foundered  in  the  tempest. 

The  queen  was  not  discouraged.  Her  eyes  were 
fixed  on  England,  and  again  the  fleet  set  sail.  This 
time  favoring  winds  blew,  and  the  vessels  ran  rapidly 
before  them.  At  dawn  one  morning  I  heard  a  cry  on 
deck.  I  hastened  up,  and  saw  that  the  fleet  had  en 
tered  Burlington  Bay,  on  the  coast  of  Yorkshire ;  and 
on  the  hills,  now  in  plain  view,  a  considerable  body  of 
the  royal  cavalry  was  drawn  up  in  long  line,  ready  to 
welcome  us. 

The  queen  was  not  to  land  her  stores  and  regain 
his  majesty,  however,  without  further  adventures ;  and 

14 


158  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

I  beg  the  reader  not  to  suppose  from  that  word  "  ad 
ventures"  that  I  feign  these  incidents.  They  are  the 
simple  truth. 

Her  majesty  had  landed  a  portion  of  her  stores,  and 
gone  on  shore  with  her  suite,  when  an  enemy  suddenly 
appeared  and  roughly  saluted  her.  This  enemy  was 
Admiral  Batten,  in  command  of  a  fleet  of  parliament 
vessels ;  and  the  first  intimation  we  had  of  his  approach 
was  the  thunder  of  guns. 

The  cannonade  began  at  dawn  one  morning,  before 
the  queen,  who  slept  in  a  small  house  on  the  shore, 
had  risen.  She  was  startled  from  slumber  by  the  cries 
of  her  ladies,  and  before  she  was  well  awake  the  houses 
around  were  battered  down,  and  two  cannon-balls  struck 
the  roof  above  her,  crashing  down  through  the  ceil 
ings.  There  was  thus  no  time  for  delay.  Van  Tromp 
had  engaged  the  enemy ;  but  a  part  of  their  attentions 
was  bestowed  upon  the  house  the  queen  occupied,  in 
ignorance,  I  hope,  of  her  presence,  though  Admiral 
Batten  was  charged  with  firing  on  her  majesty. 

Scarce  stopping  to  make  any  portion  of  her  toilette, 
the  queen  hastened  from  the  threatened  mansion.  She 
had  thrown  around  her  shoulders  a  flowered  robe-de- 
chambre,  her  brown  hair  fell  in  masses  of  curls  around 
her  neck,  and  she  had  thrust  her  small  white  feet  into 
a  pair  of  thin  silken  slippers,  which  scarce  defended 
them  from  the  sharp  flints  of  the  way.  Such  was  the 
unceremonious  guise  in  which  the  queen  fled  through 
the  street  of  Burlington.  All  at  once  she  stopped. 
I  was  near  her  majesty,  and  cried  to  her  to  hasten  on. 

"  No,  I  cannot  leave  Mitte  behind  !"  she  said. 

"Mitte!"  I  exclaimed. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  159 

"My  poor  lap-dog,  Mr.  Cecil." 

"  I  beseech  your  majesty! — I  will  return  and " 

The  queen  had  scarce  listened.  She  was  back  again 
at  the  house  ere  I  could  turn  round.  I  ran  after  her. 
The  street  was  raked  by  cannon-shot,  and  the  hoarse 
thunder  resounded  from  the  sea:  with  that  thunder 
suddenly  mingled  the  yelp  of  a  dog. 

I  had  reached  the  door  of  the  house  just  as  the  queen, 
who  had  run  up  to  her  chamber  and  caught  the  lap- 
dog  from  his  place  of  repose  on  her  own  bed,  made 
her  reappearance,  clasping  Mitte  in  her  arms. 

"  I  could  not  leave  him  to  the  mercy  of  the  parlia 
ment,  Mr.  Cecil !  They  have  voted  me  guilty  of  high 
treason,  and  might  condemn  him !  What  a  tragedy,  to 
think  of  his  perishing  on  Tower  Hill !" 

"Good  heavens!"  I  exclaimed,  "for  your  majesty 
to  jest  at  such  a  moment !" 

As  I  spoke,  a  cannot-shot  passed  within  a  few  feet  of 
the  queen  and  entered  a  house  near  us. 

"  Hasten,  your  majesty  ! — I  beseech  you  !" 

"  I  am  not  afraid ;  but  you  see  I  am  running,  Mr. 
Cecil!" 

The  beautiful  face,  with  its  flush  of  excitement,  was 
turned  over  the  shoulder.  The  rosy  lips  were  parted 
over  the  white  teeth  by  a  smile ;  the  dark  eyes  beamed 

from  behind  the  mass  of  brown  hair Pardon  my 

romantic  enthusiasm,  reader  :  Queen  Mary  was  very 
beautiful  then,  as  she  ran  with  her  little  bare  feet  and 
laughed  at  the  bullets. 

They  pursued  her  as  she  fled  from  the  town  into  the 
country.  Reaching  the  fields,  she  crouched  down  with 
her  attendants  in  a  ditch  for  protection.  As  she  did 


160  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

so,  a  piteous  cry  resounded  a  few  yards  from  her.  A 
servant  of  her  suite  had  uttered  the  cry :  he  had  been 
torn  in  two  by  a  cannon-ball. 

All  day  the  roar  continued,  and  all  day  the  queen 
crouched  down.  As  evening  came,  the  parliament 
ships  sailed  away,  pursued  by  Van  Tromp. 

"And  now  the  rest  of  my  stores  may  land,"  said 
the  queen;  "and  I'll  go  dress  myself." 


II. 


A   FEMALE   GENERAL. 

THE  queen  remained  near  Burlington  for  about  ten 
days,  superintending  the  disembarkation  of  her  arms 
and  stores. 

I  say  near  Burlington;  not  in  the  town.  Her  maj 
esty  had  removed  thence  to  an  old  manor-house, 
crowning  a  lofty  hill,  not  far  distant;  and  'twas  surely 
a  singular  freak  of  fate  that  this  house  should  be  Boyn- 
ton  Hall,  the  property  of  Sir  William  Strickland,  the 
emissary  of  parliament  who  intruded  so  inopportunely 
upon  the  last  meeting  of  the  king  and  queen  at  Dover. 
Sir  William  was  in  London,  or  with  the  parliamentary 
forces ;  and  her  majesty  established  her  headquarters 
at  Boynton  Hall  on  the  military  principle,  no  doubt, 
that  it  is  permissible  in  time  of  war  to  live  upon  the 
enemy. 

It  was  a  veritable  general  headquarters, — the  old  hall 
in  that  spring  of  '43.  Messengers  went  and  came  ;  the 
queen  sent  off  and  received  dispatches  to  and  from  the 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  j6i 

king,  who  faced  the  enemy  near  Oxford ;  a  great 
company  of  gentlemen  of  the  region  flocked  to  the 
hall;  and  the  result  of  the  queen's  courageous  energy 
was  a  general  movement  in  favor  of  the  king.  The 
queen  greeted  every  one  with  warm  cordiality  and  the 
sweetest  smiles.  Arms  were  distributed  on  all  sides 
from  her  stores  rapidly  landing,  and  from  what  were 
called  "the  queen's  pledges"  a  very  considerable  ad 
dition  to  her  treasury  resulted.  These  "pledges," 
which  are,  no  doubt,  still  retained  in  many  families, 
were  rings,  lockets,  and  bracelet  clasps,  with  the  letters 
H.  M.  R., — standing  for  Henrietta  Maria  Regina, — in 
delicate  gold  filigree-work,  entwined  in  a  monogram, 
against  a  background  of  crimson  velvet,  covered  with 
thick  crystal.  These  pledges  were  offered  on  all  sides, 
in  return  for  loans.  When  the  king  had  his  own  again, 
the  loans  would  be  repaid  on  presentation  of  the 
pledges.  In  this  manner  considerable  sums  were 
added  to  the  queen's  military  chest,  and  the  work  of 
arming  the  adherents  of  the  king's  cause,  and  of  laying 
them  under  contribution  too,  went  on  rapidly. 

The  enthusiasm  of  the  Yorkshire  gentry  in  the  queen's 
behalf  soon  showed  itself.  One  morning  came  the  in 
telligence  that  Sir  Hugh  Cholmondeley  had  delivered 
Scarborough  Castle  to  the  king,  and  the  Hothams,  who 
had  shut  the  gates  of  Hull  on  the  king,  declared  for 
him. 

The  popularity  of  the  queen  reached  its  highest  point 
a  few  days  afterwards,  from  the  performance  of  an 
action  on  her  part  equally  generous  and  judicious. 

One  of  the  captains  of  the  parliamentary  fleet  which 
had  bombarded  the  queen  in  Burlington  had  ventured 
14*  - 


162  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

on  shore  near  that  place,  and  been  seized  by  friends  of 
the  king.  Men's  minds  were  too  much  inflamed  then 
to  pay  much  regard  to  law  and  justice.  This  officer 
had  simply  performed  his  duty  to  his  flag  in  firing  on 
the  queen ;  but  this  construction  of  his  conduct  had 
very  few  supporters.  He  was  tried  hastily,  by  a  mili 
tary  tribunal.  The  act  of  intending  to  fire  on  the 
queen  was  or  was  not  proved  against  him :  the  point 
in  controversy  was  quickly  decided  by  ordering  him  to 
be  taken  out  and  shot. 

The  queen,  ever  on  horseback  now,  going  to  and 
fro,  met  the  procession.  At  the  head  walked  the 
parliamentary  officer,  with  his  hands  bound,  and  an 
armed  escort  beside  him. 

"The  meaning  of  this?  Stop!"  said  the  queen.  "I 
command  here  !" 

An  officer  of  the  royal  force  approached,  and,  doffing 
his  beaver,  bowed  low. 

"  'Tis  the  man  who  trained  the  cannon  on  your 
majesty  whilst  in  Burlington,"  he  said.  "The  act  is 
proved  upon  him;  he  has  been  tried  and  condemned — " 

"And  you  would  execute  him  ?  No  !  A  thousand 
times  no,  sir !  He  but  followed  his  orders.  I  was  an. 
enemy,  and  the  king's  flag  was  up." 

"But  consider  that  this  man  very  nearly  put  your 
majesty  to  death." 

"Ah  !"  the  queen  said,  "but  I  have  forgiven  him 
all  that ;  and,  as  he  did  not  kill  me,  he  shall  not  be 
put  to  death  on  my  account." 

The  officer  bowed  his  head. 

"Release  him,"  said  the  queen. 

The  prisoner's  arms  were  unbound,  and  he  shook 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  163 

them  to  restore  the  circulation  of  the  blood,  inter 
rupted  by  the  cords.  Then  he  turned,  and  fixed  his 
eyes  silently  upon  the  glowing  face  of  the  queen. 

"Thank  her  majesty  for  her  royal  goodness,"  said 
the  person  who  had  unbound  him. 

The  officer  of  parliament  turned  scornfully  towards 
the  speaker,  and  replied, — 

"A  truce  to  your  advice,  my  good  sir!  'Tis  not 
you  who  would  have  spared  me.  And  I  thank  no  one 
for  not  committing  murder  on  my  person." 

A  murmur  of  indignation  was  heard ;  but  the  adhe 
rent  of  parliament  laughed  derisively. 

The  queen  approached  him,  still  mounted,  and,  gaz 
ing  at  him  earnestly,  said,  in  her  low,  soft  voice, — 

"You  are  at  liberty  to  go  whither  you  will,  sir;  and 
what  you  say  is  just.  You  owe  me  no  thanks.  You 
might  justly  have  died  cursing  me  had  I  permitted  this 
cruel  deed.  You  are  an  enemy,  and  a  brave  one. 
Pity  you  cannot  be  my  friend  and  the  king's.  But  I 
will  not  solicit  you,  save  to  entreat  you  not  to  per 
secute  one  who  would  not  harm  you  when  she  could." 

As  the  queen  spoke,  in  her  voice  full  of  earnest  feel 
ing,  a  flush  came  to  the  face  of  the  officer.  He  fixed 
a  long,  searching  look  upon  the  face  of  the  queen, 
opened  his  lips  to  speak,  but  uttered  only  some  unin 
telligible  words;  then  he  bowed  low,  doffing  his  round 
hat,  as  the  queen,  saluting  him  in  turn,  rode  on. 

A  week  afterwards,  this  officer,  with  a  number  of 
his  men,  had  deserted  to  the  king's  standard.  I  say 
deserted :  it  is  always  desertion  to  change  your  flag  in 
face  of  the  enemy,  whatever  the  merit  of  the  cause 
profiting  by  your  change. 


164  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

This  act  of  judicious  clemency  won  all  hearts,  and 
made  the  queen  warm  friends,  even  thawing  the 
somewhat  frigid  faces  of  the  ladies  at  Boynton  Hall, 
who  naturally  embraced  the  parliament  cause. 

These  ladies  were  now  subjected  to  a  somewhat  rough 
test  of  their  equanimity.  As  the  queen  rose  from  dinner, 
on  the  last  day  of  her  sojourn  at  Boynton  Hall,  she 
paused  a  moment  before  leaving  the  room,  looked  at 
the  table  covered  with  massive  silver  plate,  and  said, — 

"I  fear,  ladies,  'twill  be  thought  I  am  about  to  make 
an  ungracious  return  for  the  courtesies  I  have  received ; 
but  unhappily  the  king's  affairs  have  come  to  that 
pass  that  he  requires  pecuniary  aid.  And  this,"  here 
her  majesty  glanced  at  a  portrait  of  Sir  William  Strick 
land  on  the  wall,  "through  the  disaffection  and  want 
of  duty  on  the  part  of  some  of  those  who  ought  to  have 
been  among  his  most  loyal  supporters." 

The  preface  was  ominous:  the  ladies  listened  in 
silence. 

"The  parliament  has  refused,"  continued  the  queen, 
"to  grant  the  supplies  requisite  for  maintaining  the 
honor  of  the  crown,  and  therefore  money  must  be  ob 
tained  by  other  means.  I  am  sorry  thus  to  be  under 
the  necessity  of  taking  possession  of  Sir  William  Strick 
land's  plate.  But  do  not  regard  this  as  a  confiscation 
of  an  enemy's  goods,  ladies,  I  pray  you.  I  shall  con 
sider  it  as  a  loan;  and, .as  I  trust  the  king  will  very 
soon  compose  the  disorders  in  these  parts,  I  will  restore 
the  plate,  or  at  any  rate  its  value  in  money,  to  Sir 
William  Strickland.  Meanwhile,  ladies,  I  will  leave 
at  Boynton  Hall,  as  a  pledge  of  my  royal  intention 
and  a  memorial  of  my  visit,  my  own  portrait." 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  165 

At  a  sign  from  the  queen,  the  door  opened,  and  two 
men  brought  in  a  superbly-framed  life-size  portrait  of 
herself.  It  represented  her  majesty  clad  in  white,  the 
open  sleeves  caught  up  with  broad  green  ribbon,  the 
bodice  laced  across  with  gold  chains  and  ornamented 
with  pendent  pearls.  The  hair  was  short  and  in  frizzled 
curls,  after  the  French  fashion  called  tete  de  mouton. 
The  back  of  the  head  was  decorated  with  flowers,  and 
the  dark  eyes  looked  out  from  the  delicate  face  with  an 
expression  of  exquisite  candor  and  sweetness. 

"  I  offer  this  pledge  of  my  intent  to  restore  what  I 
take,  ladies,"  said  the  queen.  "  'Tis  hard  necessity 
which  impels  me :  I  pray  you  have  charity.  I  am  a 
poor  wife  only,  striving  to  aid  my  husband,  and  that, 
you  know,  ladies,  is  a  duty  inculcated  by  Holy  Writ." 

The  lurking  spirit  of  humor  in  the  queen  shone  from 
her  eyes  as  she  thus  spoke.  She  saluted  with  a  gracious 
bend  of  the  head,  and  left  the  apartment. 

At  dawn  on  the  next  day  she  was  in  the  saddle,  and, 
followed  by  her  suite,  rode  down  the  hill.  Boynton 
Hall  was  quiet  again  :  her  majesty  had  taken  the  field. 

On  a  down  a  league  distant,  suddeifly  appeared, 
drawn  up  in  battle-array,  a  body  of  the  king's  horse. 
Their  arms  flashed,  and  plumes  and  banners  waved. 
Then  a  ringing  blast  from  the  bugles  saluted  the  queen, 
and  a  fiery  cavalier,  young,  superbly  clad,  and  riding 
a  magnificent  charger,  came  on  at  full  gallop.  Fifty 
paces  from  the  queen  he  checked  his  horse,  throwing 
him  upon  his  haunches.  Then,  doffing  his  plumed 
beaver,  he  saluted  profoundly,  and  said, — 

"  Welcome  to  your  majesty." 

"Thanks,  my  lord  of  Montrose,"  was  the  queen's 


166  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

reply,  as  she  saluted  the  famous  Scot.  "You  are  from 
York?" 

"  With  two  thousand  horse,  your  majesty,  ready  to 
escort  you  thither." 

"Who  commands  there?" 

"The  Earl  of  Newcastle,  your  majesty." 

"I  go  to  supersede  him!"  exclaimed  the  queen, 
with  joyous  smiles.  "  See  my  reinforcements  !" 

And  she  pointed  to  her  train  following.  It  consisted 
of  six  cannon,  two  large  mortars,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty  wagons  loaded  with  money,  plate,  fire-arms, 
rapiers,  and  munitions  of  all  descriptions,  just  disem 
barked  from  the  fleet. 

"With  your  escort  of  two  thousand  gallant  cavaliers, 
my  lord,  I  doubt  not  I  shall  safely  deliver  my  stores  to 
his  majesty." 

"Your  majesty  will  move  towards  York  speedily?" 

"I  will  move  to-day,^this  moment." 

"  In  that  case  I  beg  your  majesty  will  enter  the  coach 
I  have  brought  for  your  use." 

"A  coach?" 

"A  very  convenient  one,  your  majesty." 

The  queen  shook  her  head,  laughing.  "  I  shall  not 
need  your  coach,  my  lord:  I  have  taken  the  field  !  I 
am  a  soldier  of  the  king's,  and  soldiers  do  not  ride  in 
coaches.  See  this  spirited  little  palfrey :  I  am  at  ease 
upon  him,  and  fear  no  fatigue.  Shall  I  boast  too  that 
I  am  as  little  afraid  of  an  enemy  ?  Should  the  forces 
of  the  parliament  attack  you,  my  lord,  I  will  take  com 
mand  of  the  baggage.  You  see  I  am  ready.  We  go 
by  Malton,  do  we  not?  Give  the  word  to  advance; 
and  God  save  the  king  !" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  ^7 

The  queen  was  now  in  front  of  the  long-drawn 
column  of  horse.  They  heard  her  words,  and  as  she 
rode  at  full  speed  to  the  head  of  the  column,  Montrose 
galloping  beside  her,  a  thundering  shout  and  the  clash 
of  arms  was  heard.  Two  thousand  men  shouted, — 

"God  save  Queen  Mary  !" 


III. 

HARRY   AND   I. 

QUEEN  MARY  rode  across  the  wolds  to  Malton,  and 
thence  towards  York,  persisting  still  in  her  brave  reso 
lution  to  share  the  hardships  of  her  soldiers. 

She  would  enter  no  chariot ;  paid  attention  neither 
to  wind  nor  sun  nor  storm ;  ate  the  rude  fare  of  the 
men,  in  bivouac  among  them, — and  they  came  to  adore 
her  almost.  This  delicate  woman,  lapped  in  down  from 
her  childhood,  and  accustomed  to  all  luxuries,  cheerfully 
— even  gayly — endured  every  hardship,  and  marched, 
and  slept,  and  ate,  and  was  ready  to  fight  too,  like  the 
humblest  trooper  of  her  forces. 

The  queen  sat  one  evening  in  the  doorway  of  her 
small  tent,  which  had  been  pitched  beneath  a  large  oak, 
beside  the  road,  in  sight  of  the  great  camp.  Around 
her  majesty  were  grouped  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of 
her  suite,  and  a  number  of  officers,  including  the  gal 
lant  Montrose. 


1 68  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

All  at  once  the  queen  stopped  eating  her  hard  bread, 
and  fixed  her  eyes  on  some  object  in  the  distance.  It 
was  a  horseman  coming  at  full  speed ;  and  in  five  min 
utes  he  had  approached  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
tent,  when  he  threw  himself  from  the  saddle,  affixed 
his  bridle  to  a  bough,  and,  drawing  near,  doffed  his 
plumed  hat,  making  a  profound  inclination. 

I  recognized  Harry.  He  had  evidently  ridden  hard; 
and,  as  he  came,  he  drew  from  his  breast  a  packet. 

"  For  your  majesty,"  he  said,  bending  his  knee,  and 
presenting  the  packet. 

The  queen  caught  it  eagerly,  and  said, — 

"You  come  from  his  majesty,  Mr.  Cecil?" 

Harry  blushed  with  pleasure  at  this  recognition,  and 
bowed  low. 

"He  is  well?" 

"  Quite  well,  your  majesty." 

"God  be  thanked!" 

She  had  torn  open  the  letter,  and  now  read  it  by 
the  last  rays  of  sunset.  As  she  read,  her  face  flushed. 
Finishing,  she  raised  her  head,  and  her  eyes  were  full 
of  indignation  and  martial  fire.  "  Do  you  know  the 
ultimatum  of  the  parliament,  my  lord?"  she  said  to 
Mont  rose. 

"Submission,  doubtless,  your  majesty,"  replied  the 
soldier,  coolly. 

"  You  have  guessed  correctly,  my  lord.  Yes,  sub 
mission.  The  Earl  of  Northumberland,  the  kinsman 
of  Lady  Carlisle,  who  betrayed  me,  has  had  the  courage 
and  the  want  of  shame  to  visit  his  majesty  as  the  com 
missioner  of  parliament ;  and  here  is  the  narrative  of 
his  errand  !" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  169 

She  struck  the  paper  with  her  finger. 

"  They  demand  but  little  ! — they  are  moderate,  these 
good  gentlemen  !  They  simply  request  that  his  majesty 
shall  abolish  episcopacy  and  the  Church  of  England, 
and  give  up  to  their  tender  mercies  all  who  have  aided 
him  in  his  rebellion  against  them." 

A  growl  from  the  circle  saluted  these  words.  All 
faces  darkened.  The  queen  looked  around  her. 

"  You  see,  gentlemen,  there  is  no  retreat  now  for  me 
or  for  you.  We  are  to  die  on  Tower  Hill,  or  on  the 
field  of  battle,  fighting  bravely.  Which  do  you  choose, 
messieurs?" 

The  words  raised  a  tumult.  The  queen  listened  with 
glowing  eyes  to  the  hoarse  noise  around  her.  Suddenly 
she  caught,  from  the  ground  near,  a  small  dress-sword, 
and  drew  it.  She  wrapped  a  scarf  around  the  hilt  of 
the  bright  steel  weapon,  and  attached  it  to  her  slender 
waist.  Then,  rising,  she  threw  the  scabbard  from  her 
violently,  and  exclaimed, — 

"  Here  is  my  answer  !" 

Two  hours  afterwards,  I  was  riding  towards  Oxford 
beside  Harry,  who  bore  back  the  queen's  reply.  I 
had  solicited  and  obtained  this  favor :  to  live  beside 
Frances  Villiers  had  become  an  agony  to  me.  We 
had  scarce  interchanged  more  than  a  few  words  of 
common  politeness  since  the  evening  at  Helvoetsluys: 
to  be  near  her,  even,  was  wretchedness  to  me,  and  I 
embraced  the  first  opportunity  to  leave  her. 

And  this  voluntary  absence  from  her  side  now  made 
it  necessary  to  explain  all  to  Harry.  To  his  laughing 
demand  how  it  was  possible  that  I  had  courage  to  sepa 
rate  from  the  young  lady,  I  replied, — 

H  IS 


I7o  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"Little  courage  is  requisite,  Harry.  I  live  in  a 
dream,  yonder,  near  her, — in  alternate  torpor  and 
fever. ' ' 

"  You  have " 

"  Yes,  and  she  has  rejected  me ;  but  that  is  the  least 
of  it." 

"  Rejected  you  ?     Oh,  Ned  !— my  poor  Ned  !" 

"  Don't  pity  me,  Harry.  I  am  a  man,  and  hearts 
don't  break  in  our  family  on  such  occasions.  Some 
thing  more  than  a  love-disappointment  fevered  me 
yonder." 

"More?" 

"  The  thought  that  you  looked  upon  me,  perchance, 
as  a  poor  weak  creature  that  loved  a  woman  more  than 
I  loved  my  brother  or  my  honor  !" 

"Your  meaning,  Ned  !  Who  dares  to  say  that  you 
love  not  your  honor?" 

"None,  thank  Heaven  !  You  least  of  all  must  think 
that,  Harry.  But  listen  !  you  shall  know  all.  'Tis 
but  recently  that  I  learned  the  truth.  You  sacrificed 
your  love  to  me, — well,  I  sacrifice  mine  to  you.  She 
told  me  all.  Shame  burned  in  me  like  fire,  brother, 
when  I  thought  of  your  last  words  after  Edgehill.  Do 
you  think  I'll  let  my  brother  break  his  heart  for  me? 
I  swear  I  will  not !  Go  and  love  Frances  Villiers  more 
than  ever,  and  tell  your  love.  Women  are  weather 
cocks.  For  myself,  Harry,  I'll  go  no  more.  My  game 
is  played, — I  have  lost  her ;  but  I  have  your  love, 
Harry,  and  that's  enough  !" 

I  think  a  groan  came  as  I  finished.  Harry  leaned 
over  and  put  his  arm  on  my  shoulder.  His  eyes  shone 
through  a  sort  of  mist. 


HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  i-ji 

"  Didn't  I  say  that  night  that  I'd  back  Ned  Cecil 
for  a  brother  against  any  man  in  England  ?  Well, 
brother,  we  are  left  to  each  other.  For  myself,  I've 
done  with  the  fair  Frances,  who'll  no  more  look  at  me 
than  at  you,  Ned.  What  bad  taste  !  Well,  court 
her  or  not,  as  you  fancy, — but  remember  one  thing, 
brother,  she's  not  going  to  have  an  opportunity  again 
of  becoming  Mrs.  Harry  Cecil." 

I  knew  what  the  words  meant, — that  my  brother 
would  not  stand  in  my  way ;  and  I  swore  to  myself  that 
I  would  not  stand  in  his.  I  raised  my  head,  after  this 
resolution,  and  looked  at  Harry,  smiling. 

"  Miss  Villiers  won't  be  annoyed,  it  seems,  by  the 
importunate  Cecil  family  hereafter,"  I  said;  and  then, 
by  common  consent,  we  spoke  of  other  things,  riding 
on  through  the  night. 

Running  the  gauntlet  of  my  lord  Essex.'s  cavalry 
parties  between  York  and  Oxford,  we  finally  reached 
the  latter  place,  and  in  one  of  the  grand  palaces  of  the 
grand  city  saw  his  majesty  again.  He  was  pleased  to 
give  me  his  hand  to  kiss,  and  to  ask  after  the  health 
of  my  father.  My  detention  in  Holland  had  been 
explained  in  the  queen's  dispatches ;  and  now,  losing 
sight  of  me  and  all  else,  his  majesty  read  the  queen's 
response  to  his  letter. 

As  he  read,  the  pale  and  melancholy  face  flushed  red, 
and  the  eyes  grew  soft.  I  see  the  king's  face  now, — 
long,  covered  with  the  pallor  of  trouble,  the  lips  sur 
mounted  by  the  delicate  mustache,  the  royale  long  and 
pointed  beneath  the  chin,  and  the  eyes  sometimes  cold 
and  austere,  but  oftener  full  of  brooding  sadness. 
"Doomed"  was  written  on  that  countenance;  'twas 


172  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

only  when  he  thought  of  the  queen  that  fire  came  to 
the  eyes,  and  they  flashed. 

"  My  brave  wife  !"  he  murmured,  as  he  refolded  the 
letter:  "here  at  least  is, one  heart  that  does  not 
despair." 

He  turned  to  Harry  and  myself. 

"  Thanks,  gentlemen,"  he  said  ;  "  'tis  my  happiness 
to  have  near  me  friends  so  faithful  as  the  Cecils.  Faith 
ful  hearts  are  pure  gold  in  my  eyes,  and  I  lean  upon 
them.  The  times  are  dark,  gentlemen,  the  issue  of 
this  struggle  doubtful ;  but,  if  we  fall,  let  us  fall  with 
honor, — as  gentlemen  should  fall.  That  is  my  resolve. 
My  enemies  are  bitter.  They  hate  my  brave  queen  even 
more  than  they  hate  me,  and  were  she  to  fall  into  their 
power  their  mad  passion  might  lead  them  to  take  her 
life,  as  they  may  take  my  own.  Well,  so  let  it  be:  the 
more  need  that  we  should  act  like  brave  men.  For 
myself,  I  mean  not  to  falter.  As  king,  I  defend  my 
crown  ;  as  gentleman,  I  defend  my  wife." 

As  the  king  spoke,  the  door  opened,  and  Viscount 
Falkland  entered,  sad,  with  his  air  of  gracious  dignity 
mixed  with  melancholy. 

"A  last  proposition,  your  majesty,"  he  said.  "I  have 
just  received  this  note  from  Mr.  Hampden,  and  beg  to 
lay  it  before  your  majesty." 


HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 


IV. 

I  GO  WITH  LORD  FALKLAND  TO  HIS  HOUSE  OF  GREAT  TEW. 

As  Lord  Falkland  spoke,  he  approached  the  king, 
and,  inclining  his  head  with  profound  respect,  presented 
a  letter. 

"  From  Mr.  Hampden?" 

"Yes,  your  majesty." 

The  king  perused  the  letter,  and  then,  looking  up, 
said, — 

"  'Tis  a  forlorn  hope,  Falkland:  nevertheless,  you 
must  accept  Mr.  Hampden's  proposal.  Meet  him, 
therefore,  with  one  attendant,  as  he  requests.  'Tvvere 
well  to  be  private ;  and  as  these  gentlemen  present  are 
in  the  secret,  take  one  of  them." 

Lord  Falkland,  who  had  already  saluted,  with  his  air 
of  sweet  courtesy,  my  brother  and  myself,  turned  now, 
and  said  to  me, — 

"  You  have  heard  his  majesty,  Mr.  Cecil.  If  it  please 
you,  I  should  be  glad  to  have  you  go  with  me." 

I  bowed  low,  no  little  gratified  to  have  my  Lord 
Falkland  recall  my  face  and  name  so  long  after  our 
chance  meeting  in  Prince  Rupert's  tent  near  Not 
tingham. 

"Your  lordship  does  me  very  great  honor,"  I  said, 
"and  may  dispose  of  me  now  and  always." 

"  The  speech  of  a  gallant  young  cavalier !"  was  the 
reply  of  the  nobleman,  with  his  air  of  smiling  courtesy. 


174  IIER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Be  good  enough  to  await  me  in  an  hour,  sir  :  we  will 
then  report." 

A  moment  afterwards,  Harry  and  myself  were  in  the 
antechamber ;  and  an  hour  afterwards,  I  was  riding 
beside  Lord  Falkland,  who  was  attended  only  by  an 
ordinary  groom,  towards  his  palace  of  Great  Tew,  not 
far  from  Oxford. 

I  shall  always  recall  that  ride  with  one  whose  great 
figure  illustrated  the  epoch.  His  converse  riveted 
me,  and  was  inexpressibly  charming.  They  say  now, 
in  this  new  age,  that  all  men  are  equal.  Is  that  true  ? 
Were  there  many  human  beings  the  equals  of  this  one? 
Friend,  that  doctrine  of  equality  is  a  chimera.  Some 
men  are  born  to  command,  as  to  draw  all  hearts.  This 
was  one  such,  and  the  mere  rank  had  naught  to  do 
with  it  at  all.  Edmund  Cecil  was  not  the  equal  of 
Lucius  Gary  ;  and  a  thousand  demagogues  cannot  per 
suade  him  to  the  contrary  ! 

"  It  is  needless  to  make  a  mystery  of  our  errand, 
Mr.  Cecil,"  he  said.  "  The  worthy  Mr.  Hampden,  of 
the  parliament  cause,  requests  a  private  interview  with 
me.  He  is  pleased  to  say  that  my  well-known  modera 
tion,  and  his  own  sincere  desire  for  peace,  may  unite 
to  effect  something ;  and  there  is  this  satisfaction  in 
dealing  with  Mr.  Hampden,  that  one  may  be  confident 
throughout  all  of  his  irreproachable  honor." 

"  I  think  of  him  as  you  do,  my  lord  ;  and  I  once  met 
and  conversed  with  him  upon  public  affairs,"  I  said. 

I  narrated  then  my  encounter  with  Mr.  Hampden 
on  the  high-road  in  Buckinghamshire  ;  and  when  I  had 
finished,  Lord  Falkland  said, — 

"I  recognize  the  worthy  gentleman  there,  sir;  and 

' 


HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEE.V.  175 

would  to  Heaven  we  could  agree  upon  some  terms,  and 
so  end  this  terrible  war.  'Peace!  peace!'  is  all  my 
lips  seem  able  to  utter  in  these  dark  days.  Our  poor, 
bleeding  country  !" 

He  uttered  the  words  slowly,  his  head  drooping,  and 
a  deep  sigh  issuing  from  his  lips ;  and  we  rode  on  in 
silence. 

At  last  the  magnificent  grounds  of  Lord  Falkland's 
mansion  of  Great  Tew  opened  before  us ;  and,  riding 
through  a  great  park  full  of  deer,  and  dotted  with  cen 
tury  oaks,  towering  above  us  in  the  sunset,  we  drew 
near  the  stately  edifice.  I  have  seen  in  my  time  the 
admired  palaces  of  the  noblemen  of  France,  Holland, 
and  other  lands ;  but  sure  the  houses  of  the  lords  of 
England  surpass  those  of  all  other  countries.  In  this 
new  land  I  pine  sometimes  for  another  sight  of  those 
great  old  houses, — centuries  old,  built  of  massive  ma 
terial,  adorned  with  lavish  splendor, — the  abodes  of  a 
race  who  have  struck  their  roots  deep  into  the  soil  of 
Old  England  throughout  ages, — who  raise  their  heads 
like  great  oaks  in  the  sunshine  and  the  storm,  and  who 
will  stand  or  fall,  I  think,  with  the  strength  and  glory 
of  England. 

The  broad  front  of  Great  Tew,  with  its  mullions, 
armorial  devices  in  stone,  and  battlements,  rose  fair  in 
4he  sunset ;  and  Lord  Falkland  ushered  me  in,  with 
his  smile  of  gracious  courtesy,  between  a  double  line 
of  domestic  servants,  who  seemed  to  crave  some  mark 
of  recognition  from  their  master.  It  was  not  withheld. 
For  each  he  seemed  to  have  a  word ;  and  I  think  he 
addressed  almost  every  one  by  name.  'Twas  plain  to 
me  that  the  master  of  the  mansion  was  beloved  by  all 


176  HER    MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

who  served  him ;  and  I  can  scarce  convey  an  idea  of 
the  atmosphere,  so  to  speak,  of  kindness  and  affection, 
throughout  the  stately  old  house. 

An  hour  afterwards,  dinner  was  served,  and  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  being  presented  to  Lady  Alice  Gary,  his 
lordship's  niece, — a  charming  maiden  of  twenty, — 
whose  sparkling  eyes  seemed  to  be  seeking  on  all  sides 
food  for  mirth  or  satire.  It  was  the  Beatrice  of  Will 
Shakspeare.  After  an  hour  with  her,  I  thought  he 
must  have  known  her  ! 

The  interview  with  Mr.  Hampden  was  to  take  place 
at  sunrise  on  the  next  morning,  at  a  point  designated, 
a  league  or  two  distant ;  and  Lord  Falkland  had  just 
summoned  his  head-groom  to  give  him  an  order,  when 
a  message  from  the  king  was  announced,  and  Harry 
entered  the  great  reception-room. 

"Welcome,  Mr.  Cecil,"  said  Lord  Falkland, — one 
of  whose  winning  traits  was  to  know  the  name  of  every 
one.  He  extended  his  hand  as  he  spoke, — the  model 
of  a  gracious  host, — and  then,  turning  towards  Lady 
Alice,  presented  Harry,  who  bowed  low. 

"A  note  from  his  majesty,  my  lord,"  Harry  said, 
presenting  a  package,  which  Lord  Falkland  opened 
and  read.  Finishing  its  perusal,  he  allowed  the  hand 
holding  the  royal  letter  to  fall  over  the  red  velvet  arm 
of  his  chair,  and,  looking  down,  murmured, —  • 

"  'Twas  unnecessary." 

I  afterwards  ascertained  that  the  king  had  written 
to  say  that  in  the  interview  with  Mr.  Hampden  there 
must  be  no  manner  of  discussion  on  the  subject  of  sur 
rendering  any  of  his  friends  to  parliament.  They  had 
heretofore  demanded  that  he  should  give  up  his  aiders 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  177 

and  advisers.  He  wrote  now  to  say,  once  for  all,  that 
he  would  die,  sword  in  hand,  before  adding  another 
name  to  that  of  Strafford. 

"I  will  reply  at  once  to  his  majesty,  Mr.  Cecil," 
said  the  nobleman.  And,  going  to  his  library,  he  was 
absent  for  half  an  hour,  during  which  time  Lady  Alice 
Gary  did  the  honors  with  excellent  grace  and  ease. 
What  trait  is  more  rare?  With  two  young  gentlemen, 
strangers  but  now,  she  was  not  stiff,  but  gracious  and 
even  mirthful ;  and  when  Lord  Falkland  returned,  he 
interrupted  something  resembling  a  wit-combat  between 
Harry  and  our  fair  hostess. 

But  I  linger  upon  this  charming  evening,  the  first 
and  last  I  ever  spent  with  the  great  Lord  Falkland. 
'Tis  one  of  the  sweetest  and  saddest  memories  I  have 
treasured  up.  You  remember  the  august  orb  of  the 
sun,  slowly  sinking  in  pensive  splendor,  when  you  are 
never  to  see  him  rise  more  on  earth. 

Harry  returned  with  Lord  Falkland's  reply;  and  by 
midnight  I  was  asleep  in  one  of  the  great  old  chambers, 
full  of  antique  furniture,  rich,  massive,  and  used,  per 
chance,  by  kings  in  their  day.  At  sunrise  I  was  in 
the  saddle,  and  riding  beside  Lord  Falkland.  The 
dewy  morning  smiled  upon  us ;  the  air  was  fresh  and 
bracing;  the  March  winds  were  chill,  but  the  fields 
were  growing  green  ;  the  first  flowers  seemed  about  to 
peep  out  from  the  budding  grass. 

"See,"  Lord  Falkland  said,  "the  face  of  nature 
wears  a  peaceful  smile  !  What  a  pity,  Mr.  Cecil,  that 
men  should  frown  and  cut  each  other's  throats !" 

"  The  most  piteous  of  all  piteous  things,  my  dear 
lord,"  I  replied. 
H* 


178  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"And  yet  that  is  what  we  are  doing  in  Old  England 
now.  Men  who  but  yesterday  clasped  hands,  and  sat 
as  brothers  around  the  hearthstone,  can  find  no  better 
means  of  composing  their  differences  than  to  blow  each 
other  to  pieces  with  musketry  and  cannon  !" 

"  Yonder  is  one  who  deprecates  that  as  much  as 
you  do,  my  lord,"  I  said ;  and  I  pointed  to  a  mounted 
gentleman  who  sat  his  horse  motionless  at  a  spot  where 
the  road  we  traveled  was  crossed  by  another  at  right 
angles.  Behind  this  figure  was  another, — apparently 
an  attendant. 

" 'Tis  Mr.  Hampden,"  said  his  lordship:  "he 
awaits  us. ' ' 


V. 

THE   LAST   GREETING. 

THE  two  noblemen — they  were  such,  were  they  not, 
reader? — advanced,  and  exchanged  a  warm  grasp  of 
the  hand. 

"I  am  honored  by  your  prompt  compliance  with  the 
request  conveyed  to  you,  my  lord,"  said  Mr.  Hampden. 

"  I  esteem  it  an  honor  in  my  turn  to  meet  Mr. 
Hampden,"  said  Lord  Falkland,  with  his  gracious 
courtesy.  "I  have  come  with  only  a  single  gentleman, 
— an  acquaintance  of  yours,  I  think,  sir." 

"  I  know  Mr.  Cecil  very  well,  and  would  fain  call 
him  my  friend,"  said  Mr.  Hampden. 

And  he  held  out  his  hand  to  me,  a  friendly  smile 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  I^ 

upon  his  noble  face.  That  smile  was  extraordinarily 
similar  to  Lord  Falkland's.  What  was  it  that  made 
these  two  men  resemble  each  other  like  brothers  ?  I 
think  'twas  the  great  soul  in  the  bosom  of  Hampden, 
as  in  the  bosom  of  Falkland. 

They  rode  aside,  walking  their  horses  slowly  over 
the  deserted  road,  and,  reaching  a  great  tree,  dis 
mounted  and  engaged  in  earnest  converse.  The  dis 
tance  was  not  so  great  that  I  could  not  discern  every 
detail  of  their  appearance.  They  faced  each  other, 
holding  their  bridles,  and  Mr.  Hampden  leaning  one 
hand  on  the  pommel  of  his  saddle.  With  his  dis 
engaged  hand,  Lord  Falkland  made  grave  gestures. 
The  conversation  seemed  earnest,  but  slow  and  almost 
solemn.  I  did  not  remove  my  eyes  from  them.  The 
personage  attending  Mr.  Hampden  was  a  taciturn 
civilian  of  middle  age,  whose  name  I  had  not  heard 
distinctly  when  Mr.  Hampden  presented  him  to  me. 
Thus  we  remained  silent,  gazing  at  our  principals. 

In  about  two  hours  the  interview  terminated,  and 
the  two  gentlemen  came  back  on  foot,  and  leading  the 
horses,  who  hung  their  heads  as  though  saddened  like 
their  masters. 

"Well,  well,  Mr.  Hampden,"  Lord  Falkland  said, 
as  he  drew  near,  "  God  knoweth  if  good  will  come  of 
this  free  converse  we  have  held ;  but  may  he  give  \is 
peace.  I  am  a  bad  ambassador,  I  fear,  sir.  I  would 
fain,  were  I  asked  to  draw  up  articles,  take  a  sheet  of 
paper  and  write  solely  the  word  'Peace'  upon  it.  That 
would  sum  up  all,  in  my  eyes.  '  Do  not  let  us  wrangle 
about  terms,'  I  would  say.  Hearts  opposed  to  each 
other  are  bitter,  and  see  things  in  other  lights.  But 


l8o  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

all  may  see  how  blessed  peace — only  peace  ! — would 
prove  to  England.  These  terrible  opposing  flags, — 
only  to  furl  them,  and  extend  the  hands  of  brethren 
towards  each  other !  The  roar  of  cannon  drowns  all. 
Silence  that  fearful  sound,  and  let  us  meet  with  mutual 
forbearance.  For  myself,  sir,  I  would  give  not  only 
my  right  hand,  but  my  very  heart's  blood,  to  see 
the  sun  of  peace — blessed  peace— rise  over  England 
again!" 

As  these  noble  and  earnest  words  were  uttered  by 
Lord  Falkland,  I  saw  the  face  of  Mr.  Hampden  flush, 
and  he  bowed  low  with  profound  respect. 

"I  recognize  in  these  words  the  great  soul  of  your 
lordship,"  he  murmured.  "Would  to  God  we  had 
more  such  men  as  yourself  in  England  to-day  !" 

He  was  silent  for  an  instant.     Then  he  added, — 

"What  your  lordship  has  done  me  the  honor  to 
communicate,  respecting  his  majesty's  views  and  wishes, 
will  be  repeated  to  the  parliament  as  you  desire,  my 
lord.  Would  to  Heaven  I  could  convey  to  the  gentle 
men  of  that  body  the  manner  in  which  your  lordship 
has  spoken!  I  think  hatred  and  rivalry  would  shrink 
away  before  the  very  tones  !  Now  I  will  return." 

He  paused  again,  and  added,  quickly, — 

"  Do  you  know,  my  lord,  I  have  a  presentiment  ?" 
""A  presentiment,  Mr.  Hampden?" 

"That  my  days  are  numbered, — that  I  shall  soon 
leave  this  arena  of  contention.  Have  you  never  had 
similar  presentiments,  my  lord?" 

"  Last  night,"  was  Lord  Falkland's  calm  response, 
and  his  eyes  were  fixed  gravely  upon  the  face  of  his 
companion.  "  I  know  not  if  'twere  a  dream  or  a  wak- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  181 

ing  vision,"  he  said,  "but  I  saw  myself  lying  dead 
upon  the  battle-field  last  night." 

"Strange!"  Hampden  murmured:  "my  presenti 
ment  came  last  night  too.  And  I  too  saw  myself  fall. 
Is  not  that  singular,  my  lord?" 

Lord  Falkland  shook  his  head  with  a  sad  smile. 

"Naught  is  singular  or  strange  to  me  in  this  world," 
he  replied.  "I  believe  in  presentiments.  I  believe  I 
shall  die  soon ;  and  I  am  not  sorry,  Mr.  Hampden." 

He  leaned  towards  the  other,  and  added,  in  a  low, 
almost  inaudible  tone,  the  words,  "We  shall  meet,  I 
trust." 

With  a  close  pressure  of  the  hand,  the  two  men 
mounted  their  horses,  saluted  each  other,  and  rode 
off  in  opposite  directions. 

It  was  their  last  greeting  on  earth ;  but  I  think  they 
have  clasped  hands  yonder  in  heaven,  the  realm  of 
peace. 


VI. 

CHALGROVE. 

MY  memory  is  a  gallery  of  pictures,  dark  or  bril 
liant,  gay  or  sombre.  Here  is  one  of  them,  which  I 
look  at  through  the  mists  of  many  years. 

It  was  a  night  of  June,  flooded  with   moonlight; 

and  under  the  boughs  of  a  great  oak,  not  far  from  the 

village  of  Chinnor,  Prince  Rupert  ^tood  leaning  one 

gauntleted  hand  upon  the  pommel  of  his  saddle,  and 

16 


1 82  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

bending  his  head  as  though  he  were  listening.  Within 
five  paces  of  him  stood  Lord  Falkland, — a  calm,  sad 
figure  in  the  bright  moonlight.  From  the  wood  came 
the  stamping  of  cavalry  horses,  beside  which  stood  or 
lay  their  riders,  bridle  in  hand,  and  ready  to  mount. 

Prince  Rupert  had  sallied  out  of  Oxford,  attacked 
an  outpost  of  the  parliamentary  army,  and  driven  the 
enemy  ;  had  then  pushed  on  to  Chinnor,  where  he 
attacked  and  routed  a  second  force ;  and  now  he  was 
waiting  for  a  brief  space  that  his  men  and  horses  might 
rest  before  resuming  their  march  back  to  Oxford. 

Lord  Falkland  had  ridden  with  the  prince,  more,  it 
would  appear,  from  a  desire  to  divert  his  mind  from  its 
eternal  brooding,  than  from  any  wish  to  take  part  in 
the  fighting  of  the  expedition.  Indeed,  every  one  had 
recently  noted  in  my  lord  viscount  a  weary  unrest.  He 
was  sad  unto  death,  and  seemed  unable  to  remain  in 
one  place.  His  dress  was  almost  slovenly ;  his  fine 
person  was  utterly  neglected.  The  roar  of  guns  alone 
seemed  to  arouse  in  him  a  temporary  sort  of  excite 
ment  ;  and  now  in  every  encounter  the  men  saw  his 
tall  form  in  the  midst  of  the  smoke,  an  idle  spectator 
as  'twere,  giving  no  orders,  unarmed  wholly,  and  in 
spired,  'twould  seem,  by  nothing  more  than  a  languid 
curiosity. 

Those  who  knew  this  great  man  best,  and  talked  with 
him  at  that  time,  explained  this  indifference  to  me  after 
wards,  and  I  no  longer  wondered.  Falkland  was  con 
stitutionally  fearless,  and  despaired  of  his  country.  If 
he  did  not  seek  death,  he  cared  naught  for  it. 

As  the  prince  bent  his  head,  listening,  the  far  sound 
of  hoofs  came  from  his  right.  He  turned  in  that  direc- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  ^3 

tion,  and  a  flood  of  moonlight,  passing  through  the 
dense  June  foliage  overhead,  lit  up  his  proud  face  and 
figure.  He  wore  his  full-dress  uniform,  and  the  golden 
decorations  were  dazzling.  Around  his  waist  was 
knotted  a  red  silk  sash,  rich,  heavy,  and  with  superb 
tassels.  His  sword-hilt  sparkled  in  the  moonbeams. 
On  the  heels  of  his  fine  cavalry  boots  glittered  golden 
spurs.  Such  was  this  young  and  headlong  soldier. 
From  spurred  heel  to  plumed  beaver,  in  eye  and  lip 
and  attitude,  he  was  all  cavalier. 

"  They  are  moving,  yonder,"  he  said  to  Lord  Falk 
land,  "and  I  think  your  lordship  will  see  some  more 
fighting." 

"I  am  sorry,  highness,"  was  Falkland's  sad  reply. 

"  Well,  we  think  differently,  my  lord.  I  am  glad  !" 
was  Rupert's  impulsive  reply. 

His  eyes  sparkled  as  he  spoke,  and  he  turned  to 
summon  an  attendant.  The  gigantic  Hans,  his  huge 
black  beard  grasped  by  his  huge  hand,  stood  like  a 
Scandinavian  statue  near. 

"Hans!" 

"  Yes,  highness." 

"  I  am  general !" 

"Yes,  sheneral." 

"Order  the  men  to  mount;  and  send  me  a  staff- 
officer." 

Hans  disappeared  in  the  darkness,  and  in  five  min 
utes  the  wood  resounded  with  the  noise  of  spurs, 
stirrups,  and  broadswords,  clashing  together  as  the 
troopers  got  into  the  saddle.  At  the  same  moment  a 
staff-officer  hastened  up,  and  the  prince  gave  him  an 
order.  I  had  come  to  report  the  result  of  a  recon- 


1 84  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

noissance  I  had  made  beyond  Chinnor,  and  was  about 
to  go  now,  when  the  prince  stopped  me  with  a  gesture. 

"Remain.  My  staff-officers  are  absent,  and  I  need 
some  one,"  he  said,  briefly. 

The  prince  then  set  out  at  a  rapid  gallop  in  the 
direction  of  the  sound  we  had  heard,  Lord  Falkland 
galloping  in  silence  beside  h4m,  I  following. 

As  we  went  on  rapidly  through  the  moonlight,  the 
sound  in  front  grew  more  distinct.  The  distant  bark 
of  dogs  and  crowing  of  cocks  mingled  with  it. 

"A  man  of  brains  commands  the  enemy's  front," 
Rupert  said,  halting  suddenly  and  listening.  "A  force 
of  horse  is  moving  to  cut  me  off  at  Chiselhampton 
bridge;  and  unless  I  can  pass  Chalgrove  before  they 
reach  that  point,  I  must  cut  my  way  through." 

"Your  column  is  moving,  highness." 

Falkland  pointed  over  his  shoulder,  as  he  spoke,  to 
the  long  lines  of  the  royal  cavalry  advancing  steadily, 
with  their  full  forage-wagons — the  object  of  the  expe 
dition — in  rear. 

The  prince  nodded. 

"The  race  is  close, -my  lord,  for  all  that,  and  not 
decided  yet." 

"  For  the  bridge  ?" 

"Yes.  If  I  knew  the  enemy's  force,  I  would  not 
care.  My  own  is  small,  and  theirs  may  be  great.  I 
may  be  cut  off  from  Chiselhampton  bridge." 

"  What  will  you  do  then,  highness?  I  ask  from  idle 
curiosity,  merely :  we  civilians  listen  to  soldiers  with 
respect." 

Prince  Rupert  turned  quickly. 

"  You  are  no  civilian  !    You  are  a  soldier  born,  from 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  \^ 

crown  to  foot ;  soldier,  soldier,  my  lord, — if  soldier 
means  the  clear  brain,  the  fearless  nerve,  and  the  hero 
heart !  Well,  I  speak  as  soldier  to  soldier, — there  is 
no  path  to  Oxford  save  over  the  bridge  yonder." 

"Then " 

"  Yes,  my  lord, — you  will  pardon  my  interruption, 
— yes,  I  do  not  mean  to  surrender,  and  one  thing  is 
always  left  to  a  soldier." 

"That  is ?" 

"To  die,  sword  in  hand,"  said  Rupert,  laughing. 

As  he  spoke,  he  turned  to  me. 

"  Order  my  column  to  take  this  road,  inclining  more 
to  the  right,  towards  Chalgrove,"  he  said;  "the  men 
to  advance  at  a  steady  trot  and  prepare  for  action." 

He  pointed  to  a  country  road  coming  into  the  main 
highway.  I  saluted,  went  at  full  gallop  to  the  head  of 
the  column,  and  delivered  the  order;  then  I  returned 
to  the  prince,  who  was  riding  rapidly  with  Lord  Falk 
land  over  the  road  to  the  right. 

The  quick  smiting  of  hoofs  came  more  and  more 
clearly  on  the  night  breeze.  The  hostile  columns  were 
rapidly  converging  towards  Chiselhampton  bridge. 

"Here  is  Chalgrove,"  said  the  prince,  suddenly,  as 
he  emerged  upon  a  large  field,  bathed  in  moonlight. 
"If  we  can  pass  ahead  of  them,  then  we  need  give 
ourselves  no  further  trouble.  The  bridge  is  gained." 

He  was  not  to  pass.  As  the  prince,  riding  a  short 
distance  in  advance  of  his  column,  entered  upon  the 
great  field,  a  dark  mass  was  seen  advancing  from  the  left 
to  cut  him  off.  There  was  no  longer  any  possibility  of 
reaching  the  bridge  without  a  combat.  Shouts  from 
both  forces  were  heard, — line  of  battle  was  quickly 
1 6* 


1 86  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

formed, — and,  sword  in  hand,  at  a  thundering  gallop, 
the  opponents  rushed  together. 

It  is  hard  to  describe  a  fight  under  the  daylight, — a 
night  combat  is  wholly  indescribable.  Shouts,  cheers, 
the  clash  of  weapons,  the  crack  of  pistol  and  musque- 
toon,  horses  rolling  over,  with  wild  shrieks,  men  dying 
with  curses  on  their  lips,  in  the  darkness, — that  is  the 
aspect  of  a  night  encounter. 

The  fight  at  Chalgrove  was  such.  A  painter  might 
delineate  the  rushing,  trampling,  gleaming  conflict;  I 
cannot.  For  the  rest,  a  few  moments  after  the  col 
lision,  I  kept  my  eyes  fixed  upon  one  figure. 

In  front  of  the  enemy,  and  superbly  mounted,  I  saw 
Mr. — now  Colonel — Hampden.  I  knew  afterwards  that 
the  move  to  cut  Prince  Rupert  off  was  due  to  his  military 
energy  and  brain  :  Chiselhampton  bridge  he  saw  was 
the  point  to  guard:  a  mounted  force  was  speedily 
moving;  leaving  his  own  infantry  regiment,  he  took 
command  of  the  horse,  and  moved  so  rapidly  as  to  cut 
off  his  able  opponent  Rupert. 

The  prince,  fighting  in  front  of  his  men  like  a  com 
mon  soldier,  saw  the  great  figure  of  Hampden. 

"Who  is  that  officer?"  he  said  hurriedly  to  Lord 
Falkland,  who  was  calmly  riding  beside  him. 

"  'Tis  Colonel  Hampden, — God  preserve  him  !" 

As  Falkland  spoke,  I  saw  the  figure  of  Hampden 
reel  in  the  saddle.  He  was  within  ten  paces  of  us,  and 
the  moonlight  made  everything  plain. 

As  he  reeled  back,  his  eyes  met  those  of  Falkland. 

"See!  I  am  wounded — to  the  death,  I  fear,  my  lord," 
he  cried,  in  a  broken  voice.  "Remember — we  shall 
meet  again  !" 


HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  -[87 

As  Hampden  uttered  these  words,  a  sudden  rush  of 
his  own  men  carried  him  away.  The  parliament  horse 
had  broken  and  were  flying  in  wild  disorder.  When 
we  saw  Hampden  last,  his  head  was  drooping,  and  he 
leaned  for  support  on  the  neck  of  his  horse,  two  men 
assisting  him  from  the  field.  He  had  received  two 
bullets,  we  afterwards  heard,  in  the  shoulder,  the  bone 
of  which  was  broken ;  and  from  these  wounds  he  soon 
afterwards  died. 

As  his  figure  disappeared  in  the  moonlight,  followed 
by  his  men  in  disordered  retreat,  I  heard  Lord  Falk 
land  murmur, — 

"  Farewell,  Hampden  !  Yes,  we  shall  soon  meet 
again,  I  think." 

A  bugle-note  came  like  an  echo.  It  was  the  recall 
being  sounded.  Rupert  moved  on  to  the  bridge, 
crossed,  and  proceeded  on  his  way  to  Oxford,  after  the 
successful  skirmish  of  Chalgrove  field. 

A  skirmish ; — but  in  that  mean  little  encounter  fell 
one  of  the  greatest  men  of  England. 


1 88  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


VII. 

NEWBURY. 

SUCH  is  one  of  the  pictures  in  that  long  gallery  of 
memory  I  spoke  of.  Shall  I  try  to  describe  another  ? 
The  name  of  the  first  picture  is  "Chalgrove;"  the 
name  of  the  second  is  "Newbury." 

It  was  the  dewy  dawn  of  a  September  morning,  and 
the  forests  were  burning  away,  flushed  with  the  fiery 
hues  of  autumn.  A  dreamy  and  memorial  sadness 
seemed  to  fill  the  air,  and  not  a  breath  of  wind  agitated 
the  foliage,  as  the  light  in  the  east  deepened.  It  was 
an  enchanting  landscape  of  field  and  forest  and  ham 
let  ;  peace  reigned  over  all,  as  I  think  it  always  seems 
to  reign  on  the  eve  of  battle.  And  this  day  the  sem 
blance  was  as  deceptive  as  usual,  for  the  royal  and  parlia 
mentary  armies  were  in  face  of  each  other,  and  about 
to  close  in  in  combat. 

The  king  had  prospered  of  late  ;  but  the  tide  seemed 
turning.  Rupert  had  stormed  the  battlements  of  Bris 
tol  and  reduced  that  city;  but  the  king  had  been  com 
pelled  to  raise  the  siege  of  Gloucester.  My  lord  Essex 
entered  it,  but  saw  best  to  retreat  soon  on  London. 
His  majesty  thereupon  followed  quickly.  Suddenly 
the  opponents  found  themselves  in  face  of  each  other 
near  Newbury.  'Twas  the  morning  of  the  great  battle 
there  that  I  have  tried  to  describe, — a  dreamy  morn  of 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  189 

September,  when  the  coo  of  the  ring-dove  seemed  an 
appropriate  sound,  not  the  bellowing  of  cannon. 

I  emerged  at  full  speed  from  a  copse  towards  the  royal 
line  of  battle,  having  ridden  as  close  as  possible  to  the 
enemy's  front  to  ascertain  their  position. 

"  Good-morrow,  Mr.  Cecil,"  said  a  calm  voice  near; 
and,  turning  my  head,  I  recognized  Lord  Falkland  sitting 
his  horse  motionless  on  a  grassy  knoll,  from  which  he 
looked  with  sad  eyes  towards  the  enemy. 

I  checked  my  horse  and  saluted  profoundly. 

"Do  you  know  that  your  lordship  flatters  me  very 
greatly  by  recalling  my  face  and  name  ?"  I  said.  ' ' '  Tis 
a  way  to  win  hearts,  were  they  not  already  your  lord 
ship's." 

The  nobleman  bowed. 

"  You  do  me  an  honor  and  a  pleasure,  Mr.  Cecil. 
But  why  should  I  not  recall  your  name,  and  your  face 
too?" 

"  I  am  obscure,  my  lord ;  the  king's  secretary  of  state 
might  well  lose  sight  of  me." 

He  shook  his  head. 

"In  this  world,  Mr.  Cecil,"  he  said,  "there  is 
neither  high  nor  low.  Is  the  worm  on  a  leaf  so  much 
higher  than  one  on  the  ground?  All  are  poor  and 
insignificant  alike.  'Tis  the  heart  that  makes  the 
gentleman,  not  the  star  on  the  breast.  And  is  there 
anything  nobler  than  to  be  a  true  gentleman?  I  know 
of  nothing.  To  be  a  peer  of  the  realm  is  but 
little." 

He  turned  his  eyes  towards  the  enemy,  and  was  silent 
for  a  moment. 

"  I  moralize  for  your  amusement,  sir,"  he  said,  "  but 


190  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

I  am  somewhat  sad  to-day.  I  have  been  thinking  of 
poor  Harnpden  and  of  our  appointment. ' ' 

He  uttered  the  last  words  in  a  low  tone  and  with  a 
singular  expression. 

"  Youvwere  present  at  our  interview  yonder; — did 
you  hear  our  last  greeting,  Mr.  Cecil?" 

"  I  heard  it,  my  lord,"  I  replied,  in  a  low  voice. 

"And  again  on  Chalgrove  field,  last  June,  when  that 
great  man  was  wounded  to  the  death ; — did  you  hear 
the  words  he  uttered  ? — ' Remember,  we  shall  meet  again  /' 
he  said;  and  do  you  know  I  think  that  meeting  will  be 
soon?" 

He  smiled,  as  he  spoke,  with  the  sweet  and  noble 
composure  habitual  to  him. 

"  See,  this  is  not  a  fancy  of  the  moment,  my  friend," 
he  said. 

And,  holding  up  his  arm,  he  called  my  attention  to 
the  extraordinary  richness  of  the  silk  and  velvet  com 
posing  his  dress. 

"  I  donned  this  fine  suit,"  he  added,  with  the  same 
sad  smile,  "  that  the  enemy,  when  I  fall,  shall  not  find 
me  look  slovenly  or  indecent." 

"  When  you  fall,  my  lord  !  I  pray  you  choose  your 
phrases  in  presence  of  one  who  ventures  to  say  that  his 
love  for  you  is  great.  Say  if  you  fall,  not  when,  I 
beseech  your  lordship." 

Falkland  shook  his  head. 

"  Do  you  know  the  saying  of  the  Orientals,  my 
friend, — '  The  word  uttered  is  the  master '  ?  I  have  said 
'  when  I  fall ;'  I  add  '  when  I  fall  to-day :  " 

My  head  drooped.  In  presence  of  this  profound 
composure  and  hopelessness  I  was  powerless  to  struggle. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  I9i 

"Your  lordship  smiles,"  I  murmured,  at  length.  "  I 
know,  as  all  England  knows,  that  you  are  the  bravest 
of  the  brave ;  I  did  not  know  that  so  great  an  intelli 
gence  yielded  to  fancies  and  presentiments." 

As  I  spoke  thus,  Lord  Falkland  turned  hisjiead  and 
looked  at  me  with  his  extraordinary  sweet  smile.  'Twas 
a  face  exquisitely  noble  that  I  looked  upon  at  that 
moment. 

"  God  is  good  to  his  creatures  in  many  ways,  my 
friend,"  he  said.  "  Shall  I  speak  my  whole  heart,  and 
explain  his  goodness  to  me  in  forewarning  me  of  my 
death  ?  The  moment  will  be  a  happy  one  to  me.  I 
am  weary  of  these  times,  and  foresee  much  misery  to  my 
country ;  but  I  shall  be  spared  that.  My  eyes  will  not 
see  it.  I  shall  be  out  of  it  ere  night." 

I  think  I  must  have  sighed  grievously,  for  Lord  Falk 
land  added,  quickly, — 

"Do  not  lament  thus,  my  friend.  What  is  death? 
'Tis  a  bugbear  that  frightens  children  or  cowards,  not 
men.  I  fear  it  not.  And  yet  'twould  be  pardonable 
were  I  to  regret  leaving  the  world.  My  station  in  it  is 
honorable ;  my  taste  for  the  pursuit  of  learning  and 
mental  pleasures — the  only  true  ones — is  great ;  my 
household  I  believe  love  me ;  and  his  majesty  does  me 
the  honor  to  confide  in  my  faith,  though  I  once  strove 
in  parliament  to  deprive  him  of  some  powers  deemed 
by  him  his  just  prerogatives.  I  have  loved  liberty  and 
struggled  to  secure  it.  When  its  friends  went  farther 
and  attempted  the  overthrow  of  monarchy,  I  left  them. 
In  that  decision  I  have  never  wavered,  and  think  that 
falling  under  the  royal  flag  I  fall  under  the  flag  of 
England.  But  I  weary  you,  Mr.  Cecil;  and,  what  is 


192  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

worse,  perhaps  I  detain  you.  You  are  a  soldier  on 
duty ;  I  only  a  poor  civilian  wandering  to  and  fro  and 
musing.  Farewell,  sir  !  You  are  young,  and  God  grant 
you  may  see  happier  days.  I  am  not  old,  but  am  rather 
weary  of  my  life.  I  shall  disappear  while  the  sky  is 
dark  still,  and  not  see  the  sun  shine  again." 

I  pointed  to  the  sun,  which  soared  at  that  moment 
above  the  forest. 

"See,  my  lord,"  I  muttered,  through  tears  that 
seemed  choking  me,  "  there  he  is  shining." 

"  'Tis  to  set  soon ;  and,  short  as  that  time  will  be,  I 
shall  not  see  it." 

He  turned  his  horse  as  he  spoke,  made  me  a  salute 
full  of  gracious  kindness,  and  disappeared  in  the  wood. 
As  I  lost  sight  of  him,  a  single  cannon  roared  across  the 
fields.  Echoing  shouts  rose  from  the  woods  far  and 
near  as  the  grim  sound  was  heard ;  and  suddenly  Rupert 
at  the  head  of  his  horsemen  burst  like  a  thunderbolt 
upon  the  enemy. 

I  have  no  heart  to  enter  minutely  into  the  details  of 
the  battle  of  Newbury.  One  picture  only  stays  in  my 
memory,  and  will  stay  always.  Prince  Rupert's  charge 
broke  the  enemy's  horse,  but  they  rallied,  and  again  he 
made  a  headlong  charge.  Before  this  second  charge 
they  fled,  hotly  pursued  by  Rupert ;  but  suddenly  we 
came  upon  the  enemy's  infantry  armed  with  their  long 
and  deadly  pikes,  which  pierced  the  bodies  of  the  horses 
or  hurled  their  riders  from  the  saddle. 

From  this  hedge  of  steel  the  cavaliers  of  Rupert  re 
coiled.  He  was  forced  to  fall  back,  and,  riding  beside 
him,  I  saw  his  face  flaming  hot,  his  eyes  flashing.  With 
hoarse  and  strident  voice  he  endeavored  to  rally  his 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  193 

men.     In  this  he  at  length  succeeded  ;  and  as  he  formed 
a  new  line  I  heard  loud  exclamations  near. 

I  turned  my  head  quickly.  At  the  same  moment  an 
officer  rode  up  to  Prince  Rupert. 

"  Well !"  the  prince  exclaimed. 

"  Lord  Falkland  is  shot,  my  lord  !" 

Without  a  word  the  prince  went  at  full  speed  towards 
the  group  pointed  out.  Scarce  aware  of  the  breach  of 
discipline,  I  spurred  from  the  ranks  of  the  Guards  and 
followed.  At  the  spectacle  which  met  my  eyes  a  groan 
forced  its  way  from  my  bosom.  The  nobleman  lay  on 
the  sward,  his  head  supported  upon  the  shoulder  of  an 
officer.  His  face  was  as  pale  as  death,  and  his  breast 
was  bloody.  His  eyes  were  closed,  but  his  lips  smiled. 

"  My  lord  !  my  lord  !  Speak,  I  pray  you  !"  exclaimed 
Prince  Rupert,  in  a  broken  voice. 

Falkland  opened  his  eyes,  and,  from  the  position  of 
his  head,  saw  me  first. 

"  Ah !  'tis  you  who  spoke,  my  friend,"  he  murmured. 
"  Well,  see my  presentiment !" 

He  ceased,  breathing  heavily ;  but  in  a  moment  he 
resumed : 

"I  said — my  heart  bled — for  my  country,  but  I  would 
be  out  of  it  ere  night." 

His  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  blue  sky  above  him. 

"Here  I  am,  friend,"  he  murmured;  "I  thought 
'twould  not  be  long." 

I  alone  knew  to  whom  he  addressed  those  words. 
As  they  left  Lord  Falkland's  lips,  his  head  fell  back, 
and  he  expired.  Even  in  death  the  noble  face  retained 
its  expression  of  exquisite  sweetness,  and  the  lips  wore 
the  same  sad  smile. 

I  17 


1 94      HER  MAJESTY  THE  QUEEN. 

The  battle  of  Newbury,  like  the  combat  of  Chalgrove, 
decided  little,  for  Essex  fell  back  in  the  night. 

But  Falkland  was  gone — like  Hampden  !  Who  could 
take  their  places  ?  For  me,  who  knew  them  and  loved 
them  as  founts  of  honor,  there  were  no  others  like  them. 
When  they  disappeared,  I  felt  as  though  England  were 
accursed. 


VIII. 

I   MEET   WITH   AN   OLD   ACQUAINTANCE   IN    DISGUISE. 

WITH  a  single  incident  in  the  autumn  of  1643  I  pass 
on. 

I  was  one  of  a  mounted  party  on  a  reconnoitring 
expedition  south  of  Oxford,  when  we  saw  approaching 
our  woodland  bivouac  a  party  of  three  persons,  consist 
ing  of  a  tall  sad-looking  man  and  a  very  beautiful  young 
girl,  with  the  trooper  who  had  arrested  them.  It  soon 
appeared  upon  the  highway. 

As  they  drew  nearer,  I  rose  quickly  from  the  grass 
upon  which  I  was  lying,  and  looked  at  them  attentively, 
certain  that  the  man  and  girl  were  old  acquaintances. 
The  last  rays  of  sunset  illumined  their  figures  as  they 
came, — they  had  now  drawn  near, — and  I  rose  to  my 
feet,  recognizing  Gregory  Brandon  and  his  daughter 
Janet. 

The  terrible  headsman,  with  whom  I  had  conversed 
on  that  night  of  my  adventure  in  Rosemary  Lane, 
seemed  older,  more  melancholy,  and  more  timid. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  195 

Janet  was  even  more  beautiful ;  and  there  was  some 
thing  saintly  in  the  thin  face  with  the  white  cheeks 
and  great  soft  eyes.  She  was  perfectly  calm ;  but  her 
father  was  trembling, — not  so  much  from  fear,  I  think, 
as  from  a  chronic  disorder  of  the  nerves. 

The  young  girl,  who  was  plainly  but  neatly  clad, 
looked  around  calmly.  Her  eyes  fell  upon  me,  and 
were  riveted  for  an  instant  to  my  face ;  then  I  saw  a 
slight  color  rise  to  her  white  cheeks. 

"I  see  you  recognize  us,  sir,"  she  said,  in  her  low 
sweet  voice.  "Please  say  that  we  are  not  enemies  of 
the  king,  but  do  not  say  aught  more." 

The  latter  words  were  uttered  in  a  whisper  almost. 
Her  father  evidently  heard  them,  for  he  clasped  his 
hands  and  looked  at  me  in  a  most  beseeching  manner. 

"Who  are  these  people?"  said  the  young  officer  in 
command  of  the  reconnoitring  party. 

"Arrested  on  the  high-road,  lieutenant,"  said  the 
man  escorting  them,  touching  his  hat;  "orders  to  stop 
everybody  and  get  information  ;  found  this  old  one  and 
young  one  out  tramping,  and  brought  'em  along." 

"  Right !"  said  the  young  officer ;  and,  turning  to  the 
headsman, — 

"Your  name,  and  where  were  you  going  with  this 
damsel?"  he  asked. 

"  My  name  is  Gregory,  good  sir,  and  I  live  with  my 
daughter  yonder  in  the  small  house  in  the  valley ;  we 
were  returning  from  a  neighbor's  when  we  were  stopped 
and  brought  here." 

"That  account  is  straightforward,  friend;  but  the 
times  are  dangerous.  You  may  belong  to  the  other 
faction;  and  I  will  keep  you  prisoner." 


196  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"Not  my  daughter  too,  sir!"  exclaimed  the  heads 
man. 

"Needs  must,  friend." 

The  headsman  looked  at  me  with  a  beseeching  ex 
pression,  and  I  interposed. 

"This  old  man  is  known  to  me,  lieutenant,"  I  said; 
"I  vouch  for  him,  and  propose  that  you  apply  the 
cavalier  test." 

"Good! — in  case  you  vouch  for  him,  Mr.  Cecil; 
and  your  proposal  is  fair." 

A  flagon  was  quickly  produced  by  one  of  the  men 
and  filled  with  wine.  This  was  handed  to  the  heads 
man,  and  the  young  lieutenant  said, — 

"  What  is  the  health  that  all  good  Englishmen  drink 
first?" 

The  headsman's  face  flushed  quickly,  and,  raising  the 
flagon,  he  exclaimed, — 

"  God  save  King  Charles  !" 

He  emptied  the  flagon  to  the  last  drop,  and  the  young 
officer  clapped  him  gayly  on  the  back. 

"That  satisfies  me,  old  man!"  he  said.  "No  one 
can  bring  out  a  round  '  God  save  King  Charles  !'  of 
that  sort,  and  be  disloyal  under  all.  You  are  free,  and 
your  pretty  daughter.  Return  home  ;  and  as  you  know 
this  worthy  man,  Mr.  Cecil,  I  counsel  you  to  go  with 
him  and  make  him  give  you  a  good  supper  in  return 
for  your  championship." 

I  was  about  to  refuse,  but  the  maiden  Janet  looked 
at  me  significantly  and  made  me  a  slight  gesture.  I 
therefore  saluted  the  lieutenant,  detached  the  bridle  of 
my  horse  from  the  bough  over  which  it  hung,  and,  walk 
ing  beside  the  headsman  and  his  daughter,  went  towards 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  197 

the  small  house  which  they  had  pointed  out  as  their 
dwelling. 

"  I  humbly  thank  you,  sir,"  said  the  headsman,  in  his 
earnest  tremulous  voice,  when  we  were  beyond  hearing : 
"  you  have  been  kind  in  procuring  our  release." 

"  I  try  to  repay  the  debt  I  owe  you  and  your  daughter, 
sir,"  I  said.  "  But  for  her,  I  had  perished  one  night  in 
London.  You  no  longer  live  there?" 

"I  fled  thence,"  was  the  low  reply.  "My  fearful 
office  of  headsman  became  horrible  in  my  eyes.  Things 
are  growing  frightful,  and  no  one  knows  whose  head 
may  fall." 

He  groaned  as  he  spoke. 

"I  know  that  that  others  know  not,"  he  muttered, 
in  a  terrified  whisper.  "The  new  leaders  are  merciless. 
They  are  hungry  for  blood.  Already  they  have  resolved 
to  execute  Archbishop  Laud  ;  and  think  !  'twas  /  who 
must  perforce,  as  headsman  of  London,  sever  the  gray 
head  of  that  poor  old  man  from  the  emaciated  body ! 
You  start,  sir,  and  refuse  to  credit  that,  I  see  ! — but 
even  worse  may  come." 

The  speaker's  voice  was  wellnigh  inaudible  as  he 
uttered  the  last  words. 

"You  are  a  friend  of  the  king,"  he  whispered:  "when 
you  return,  say  to  him,  '  Do  not  fall  into  the  hands  of 
your  enemies,  or  trust  them.'  The  blood  of  nobles 
and  bishops  is  not  enough  to  satisfy  them." 

He  turned  fearfully  pale. 

"They  thirst  for  his!" 

It  was  rather  an  awe-struck  murmur  than  aught  else. 
The  thought  seemed  to  overwhelm  the  speaker. 

"  So  I  fled  from  them,"  he  added,  at  length ;  "pike 
17* 


198  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEX. 

or  dagger  at  my  throat  would  force  me  to  my  terrible 
office.  For  I  am  a  coward,  sir, — a  wretched  coward  ! 
I  should  not  resist  them  :  so  I  fled  from  London.  Here, 
in  the  small  house  you  see  yonder,  once  my  father's, 
I  have  hid  myself  with  my  Janet.  God  grant  that  we 
may  lie  here  unnoted,  and  that  I  may  not  break  my 
oath!" 

I  looked  at  the  speaker,  whose  brow  was  bathed  in 
icy  sweat. 

"Your  oath  !  What  oath?"  I  asked,  struck  by  his 
expression  of  terror. 

"The  oath  of  the  headsman  to  perform  his  office 
whenever  an  order  is  brought  him,"  he  whispered. 
"The  oath  is  a  fearful  one,  and  binds  soul  and  body. 
From  the  moment  the  order  comes,  the  condemned  no 
longer  belongs  to  the  law.  The  headsman  enters  his 
cell,  touches  his  shoulder,  and  says,  '  You  now  belong 
tome!'" 

I  could  not  forbear  recoiling  from  the  personage 
beside  me.  He  had  thus  spoken  often. 

"  You  are  right,  sir,"  he  groaned.  "  I  am  accursed, 
and  dare  not  offer  my  bloody  hand  to  an  honest  man." 

The  girl  turned  her  eyes  swimming  in  tears  upon 
him. 

"But  you  will  shed  no  more  blood,  father,"  she 
murmured,  in  a  broken  voice.  "The  past  is  fearful; 
but  it  is  past,  and  will  never  return ;  and  you  have  me, 
father, — /will  take  your  hand." 

With  a  burst  of  tears  she  caught  one  of  his  hands, 
and,  throwing  her  other  arm  around  him,  leaned  sobbing 
upon  his  bosom. 

The  headsman  raised  his  eyes  to  heaven. 


II El?  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  199 

"  Thank  God,  this  is  left  me  !"  he  said ;  "the  love 
of  the  one  I  love  best." 

We  had  come  in  front  of  the  small  house, — a  cottage 
under  a  large  elm  near  the  roadside. 

"I  will  not  ask  you  to  come  in  and  sup  with  the 
headsman  of  London,"  said  the  old  man,  in  a  low  voice ; 
"  but  one  is  here  now,  very  sick,  and  desirous  of  seeing 
some  one  from  the  king's  army." 

"A  sick  man?" 

"  Or  child,  sir;  I  know  not  which." 

"His  name?" 

"  He  calls  himself  Geoffrey  Hudson." 


IX. 

ANGEL   AND    PIGMY. 

IN  a  few  moments  I  stood  beside  a  bed,  in  which  lay 
the  dwarf,  who  had  disappeared  suddenly  after  his  fatal 
duel  with  Coftangry  in  Hampton  Court  Park. 

He  was  terribly  emaciated,  and  resembled  a  puny 
infant.  His  cheek-bones  protruded,  his  sunken  eyes 
rolled  in  their  cavernous  hollows,  and  the  white  lips 
drawn  tightly  across  the  teeth  distorted  the  mouth  into 
a  species  of  grin. 

"Mr.  Cecil!"  he  exclaimed,  in  his  piping  voice,  as 
soon  as  he  saw  me.  "Is  it  possible  an  old  friend  has 
discovered  and  visits  me?" 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "by  a  singular  chance.  But  how  do 
I  find  you  here  ?" 


200  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN, 

His  explanation  was  very  simple.  After  the  death 
of  his  adversary  at  Hampton  Court,  he  had  fled,  fear 
ing  punishment,  and  wandered  about  England  awaiting 
the  moment  when  the  fatal  duel  would  be  forgotten. 
He  had  finally  repaired,  when  the  war  broke  out,  to 
the  army  of  Prince  Charles  in  the  west ;  had  enlisted) 
as  a  trooper,  acquired  the  friendship  of  his  commander, 
and  was  sent,  spite  of  a  wound  he  had  received,  to 
carry  a  message  to  the  king,  then  near  Reading. 
On  the  way  his  wound  had  broken  out  afresh ;  and  he 
had  fallen  from  his  horse  at  the  door  of  the  excellent 
Mr.  Gregory :  that  good  man  and  his  daughter  had 
nursed  him  with  tender  care ;  but  his  wound  had  not 
closed,  his  life  seemed  ebbing  away;  good  fortune 
had  sent  him  at  last,  however,  the  sight  of  a  friendly 
face,  and  the  means  of  forwarding  his  message,  out  of 
date  though  it  must  be. 

All  this  the  dwarf  communicated  in  a  rapid  and 
feverish  voice ;  he  then  gave  me  the  message,  which 
was  no  longer  of  any  importance :  thereafter  we  con 
versed  on  all  the  events  which  had  taken  place  since 
our  last  meeting. 

During  the  conversation  the  maiden  Janet  passed  in 
and  out,  caring  tenderly  for  the  invalid ;  and  it  was 
after  her  disappearance  on  one  of  these  occasions  that 
the  dwarf,  who  had  been  silent  for  some  moments,  said, 
in  a  low  voice, — 

"I  wish  to  live." 

I  looked  at  him.     His  face  had  flushed. 

"You  say  that  in  a  singular  tone,"  I  said. 

He  hesitated,  and  seemed  anxious,  but  afraid,  to 
speak. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  201 

"This  maiden  has  made  me  cling  to  life,"  he  said, 
at  length,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  This  maiden  ?"    • 

"  Yes ;  I  love  her  with  my  whole  being  !  I  have  only 
lived  since  we  met.  You  are  a  friend,  even  an  old 
friend  ;  I  am  here  dumb  and  alone  on  this  bed  :  I  must 
speak  to  some  one  of  this.  Yes,  the  wretched,  dis 
torted  pigmy  loves  this  rose-bud,  who  is  an  angel !" 

The  feverish  eyes  glowed  brilliantly. 

"She  has  watched  over  me  like  a  sister,"  he  went 
on;  "she  has  supplied  all  my  wants;  her  white  hand  has 
smoothed  my  pillow,  and  I  have  felt  her  pitying  tears 
fall  upon  my  face  ! ' ' 

"Well,"  I  said,  with  deep  emotion  at  this  love  of 
a  deformed  being  for  the  daughter  of  one  who  was  a 
social  outcast, — "well,  your  love  is  not  strange.  This 
maiden  is  heavenly  goodness  in  person." 

"  And  beautiful !  very  beautiful !" 

"Yes,"  I  said. 

"While  I " 

The  poor  being  stopped  suddenly.  An  acute  pang 
seemed  to  distort  his  features. 

"While  I,"  he  added,  in  a  low  voice,  "am  a  de 
formity,  a  monster  wellnigh, — a  poor,  wretched  pigmy !" 

He  groaned  piteously,  and  went  on  in  a  feverish 
voice : 

"And  yet  how  can  I  avoid  this?  I  am  a  man,  how 
ever  small  I  be  in  stature,  am  I  not  ?  Has  not  a  dwarf 
eyes,  and  a  heart,  and  blood,  and  loves  and  hatreds? 
Does  the  height  make  the  man?" 

His  face  grew  savage. 

"I  have  killed  many  six-footers  in  my  life!"  he 
I* 


202  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

growled.  "They  despised  me,  but  they  fell  before 
me;  and  yet  not  one  of  them,  not  the  meanest  full- 
grown  man,  but  would  have  been  preferred  to  me." 

I  could  find  nothing  to  say,  save, — 

"Do  not  yield  to  these  sad  thoughts:  'twill  retard 
your  recovery." 

"I  care  not  whether  I  live  or  die,"  said  the  poor 
creature,  groaning.  "Can  she  ever  love  me?  No, 
no,  no,  no  !  Oh,  thank  God  that  you  were  not  born  a 
deformed  pigmy ! — thank  God  for  your  limbs  and 
stature  and  human  appearance  !  You  are  a  man,  not 
a  dwarf, — one  a  woman  may  love,  not  a  cur  she  may 
tread  beneath  her  heel  and  despise !  To  love  and  be 
laughed  at !  it  is  frightful,  and  drives  me  mad  !  She 
does  not  laugh  at  me,  but  pities  me,  with  the  pity  of  a 
woman  for  a  pet  lap-dog  !" 

His  tones  were  so  passionate  and  pathetic  that  I 
could  scarce  find  words  to  reply. 

"At  least,"  I  said,  at  length,  "you  have  no  rival; 
you  are  spared  that.  And  your  love  may  melt  her." 

"No  rival?  How  know  I  that?"  he  exclaimed. 
"Even  now  some  one  may  be  approaching  who  will 
snatch  her  from  me ! — some  man  who  will  laugh  to 
scorn  my  deformed  anatomy,  and  take  from  me  all  I 
live  for!" 

He  had  scarce  spoken  when  the  young  girl  hastily 
entered  the  apartment.  "Save  yourself,  sir!"  she  ex 
claimed,  addressing  me.  "I  see  a  party  coming  who 
from  their  uniform  must  belong  to  the  parliament !" 

I  rose  and  put  on  my  hat. 

"  Farewell !"  I  said  to  the  poor  dwarf,  extending  my 
hand.  "And  do  not  despair." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  203 

His  small  hand  gripped  mine,  and  he  drew  me  down, 
whispering, — 

"  You  will  say  naught  of  this  madness.  If  I  recover, 
I  will  return  to  court.  If  I  die,  at  least  'twill  be  here." 

"  I  will  say  nothing;  but  you  will  not  die." 

"Oh,  hasten  !  hasten  !"  cried  the  young  girl,  look 
ing  through  the  window.  "  They  are  almost  at  the 
house  !  And  there  is  that  terrible  man  at  their  head, — 
that  Hulet,  who  has  persecuted  me  daily,  wellnigh,  since 
he  chanced  one  day  to  come  hither !" 

I  had  not  time  to  question  the  maiden.  The  party 
of  mounted  parliamentarians  were  nearly  at  the  door. 
I  had  just  "time  to  seize  the  bridle  of  my  horse  and 
throw  myself  into  the  saddle,  when  they  charged  me, 
firing,  and  ordering  me  to  surrender. 

My  response  was  to  discharge  my  pistol  at  Hulet 
and  retreat  at  full  gallop.  They  pursued  me  to  the 
edge  of  the  woods,  where  they  drew  rein  at  last,  re 
turning  towards  the  house  ;  and,  going  on  at  a  gallop,  I 
met  my  friends,  who  had  been  alarmed  by  the  shots, 
coming  to  meet  me.  No  time  was  lost  in  pursuing  in 
our  turn.  Our  force  outnumbered  that  of  the  enemy, 
and  we  chased  them  for  more  than  a  mile.  Then, 
however,  encountering  at  least  a  regiment  coming  to 
their  assistance,  we  were  compelled  to  retreat,  hotly  pur 
sued  ;  and,  finding  himself  powerless  to  contend  with 
such  a  force,  the  officer  commanding  our  party  retired 
to  Oxford. 

I  had  caught  a  glimpse,  and  only  a  glimpse,  of  a  sin 
gular  drama.  Other  scenes  were  to  be  hidden ;  but  a 
strange  chance  was  to  show  me  the  denouement. 


BOOK    IV. 
I. 

BEDFORD   HOUSE   IN   EXETER. 

THE  winter  of  1643-44  dragged  its  slow  steps 
along, — a  dreary  time  to  us  in  camp,  for  the  Guards 
were  now  part  of  the  regular  army ;  and  the  coming  of 
spring  was  hailed  by  all  with  rapture.  Regard  it  in 
what  light  you  may,  war  is  disgusting  when  it  means 
"winter-quarters."  You  mope  in  your  tent,  with  the 
rain  dripping,  dripping;  no  movement,  sunshine,  or 
adventure  cheers  you;  and  the  jests  and  old  stories 
become  so  wearisome  at  last !  Even  Harry's  charming 
good  humor  failed  to  cheer  me. 

For  a  long  time  now  we  had  not  uttered  the  name 
of  Frances  Villiers,  nor  had  we  even  seen  her.  Harry 
never  went  near  her,  and  I  remained  as  faithful  to  my 
resolution.  Such  was  the  singular  result  of  the  love  of 
two  men  for  a  woman.  Neither  would  speak  to  her, — 
poor  damsel ! 

So  the  winter  passed  away.     The  king  and  queen 

held  their  court  at  Oxford,  undisturbed  by  hostilities. 

Protracted  negotiations  filled  up  the  time;  but  these 

came  to  nothing :  arms,  and  arms  alone,  it  was  seen, 

(204) 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  205 

could  decide  the  great  issue.  And  with  the  coming  of 
spring  both  sides  prepared  to  renew  the  struggle. 

The  queen's  condition  forbade  her  to  remain  near 
her  husband  in  the  exciting  time  which  approached. 
She  was  near  that  period  when  the  holy  claims  of  mater 
nity  render  serenity,  absence  of  anxiety,  and  physical 
quiescence  necessary.  It  was  a  long  time,  I  heard 
afterwards,  before  the  king  could  persuade  the  queen 
that  a  journey  to  the  west  was  essential.  She  consented 
to  this  with"  sobs  and  tears,  and  it  was  the  saddest  of 
faces  that  was  seen  through  the  window  of  the  royal 
coach  as  it  set  forward,  escorted  by  his  majesty,  one 
April  day,  towards  Abingdon. 

I  was  one  of  the  small  troop  of  Guardsmen  detailed 
to  accompany  the  king  and  queen.  Half  of  the  troop 
preceded  and  half  followed  the  three  carriages  which 
held  their  majesties  and  the  ladies  of  the  queen's 
suite.  And  among  these  ladies  was  Frances  Villiers, 
— calm,  earnest,  beautiful,  devoted,  as  I  had  always 
seen  her. 

More  than  once  on  the  journey  my  eyes  encountered 
her  own,  but,  after  the  first  quiet  and  gracious  salute 
which  the  young  lady  bestowed  upon  me  in  response  to 
my  own,  no  evidence  of  recognition  was  given  on  either 
side.  The  fair  one  cared  naught  for  me,  or  that  pas 
sionate  love  of  hers  for  the  queen  dwarfed  every  other 
sentiment. 

At  Abingdon  their  majesties  parted, — the  queen's 
face  streaming  with  tears,  and  the  king's  voice,  trem 
bling.  For  the  last  time  I  witnessed  that  profound  and 
almost  passionate  devotion  of  these  two  human  beings. 
They  clung  to  each  other  for  a  moment ;  the  wet  faces 

18 


206  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

touched:  a  heart-broken  sob  came  from  the  lips  of  the 
queen,  and  she  leaned  her  head,  like  a  suffering  child, 
on  the  bosom  of  Frances  Villiers,  watching  through 
tears  the  retreating  figure  of  her  husband. 

I  did  not  return  with  the  king,  but  remained  with 
her  majesty,  in  obedience  to  her  commands  to  that  effect. 
The  queen  was  pleased  to  say  to  his  majesty,  in  my 
presence,  that  I  had  proved  myself  one  of  the  most 
faithful  and  devoted  of  her  servants ;  and  I  was  com 
missioned  by  the  king  to  bear  a  letter  frfcm  him  im 
mediately  to  Sir  Theodore  Mayherne,  formerly  court 
physician,  returning  with  the  great  doctor  to  the  queen 
at  Exeter. 

On  the  next  morning,  accordingly,  I  set  out  for  the 
residence  of  the  physician,  a  country-house  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Salisbury,  and,  having  the  good  for 
tune  to  evade  the  enemy's  horse,  found  him,  and  de 
livered  the  king's  note. 

Sir  Theodore  Mayherne  was  more  like  a  thunder-gust 
than  before ;  scowled  terribly  at  me  as  I  stretched  my 
weary  limbs  in  an  arm-chair;  and  his  long  gray  hair 
was  tossed  about  his  leonine  head  in  a  more  eccentric 
manner  than  ever. 

"Here's  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish!"  he  roared.  "A 
pretty  pother  her  majesty  is  raising  !  This  is  no  time 
to  be  bearing  children !  Children  !  To  be  plagued 
with  them,  when  cutting  throats  is  the  fashion  !" 

I  knew  my  host  by  this  time,  and  only  laughed. 

"So  the  note  I  bring  you,  Sir  Theodore,  is  a  sum 
mons  to  attend  the  queen  ?' ' 

"A  summons?    Yes,  it  amounts  to  that.     Read!" 

I  took  the  paper,  and  read  these  words:  — 


HER   MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  207 

"MAYHERNE: — 

"  For  the  love  of  me,  go  to  my  wife. 

"C.  R." 

"There  it  is!"  thundered  the  leonine  personage,  as 
1  gave  him  back  the  king's  letter.  "  '  C.  R.,'  —  Carolus 
Rex  !  The  time  comes  when  men  are  stripped  of  their 
trappings  :  here  is  a  plain  man  who  wants  a  doctor 
for  his  wife  /" 

"So  the  worthy  Sir  Theodore  Mayherne  is  one  of 
the  godly?"  I  said,  laughing.  "I  did  not  know  that." 

"  One  of  the  devilish — if  I  belonged  to  the  party  of 
such  rogues!"  growled  the  physician.  "Curse  every 
one  !  If  there's  anything  I  despise  more  than  a  stuck- 
up,  ruffling,  dice-rattling  court  popinjay,  it  is  a  psalm- 
singing,  puritanical,  hypocritical  rascal.  Now  I'll  go." 

This  eloquent  speech  seemed  to  relieve  Sir  Theodore 
amazingly.  He  ordered  his  carriage,  put  a  change  of 
linen  in  a  portmanteau,  swallowed  a  hasty  meal,  and — 
his  groom  riding  my  horse — we  set  out  for  Exeter.  I 
will  not  stop  to  repeat  the  eccentric  physician's  talk  on 
the  way;  and  yet  it  was  admirably  entertaining.  Never 
have  I  seen  so  queer  a  mixture  of  traits.  In  the  midst 
of  a  tirade  of  withering  scorn  and  denunciation  of 
something  or  somebody,  he  would  burst  out  with  a  roar 
of  laughter,  go  on  in  a  strain  of  the  richest  and  broad 
est  humor,  snatch  a  bottle  of  wine  from  the  pocket  of 
the  coach,  thrust  the  neck  into  my  very  mouth,  and, 
slapping  me  on  the  back,  salute  me  with,.  "  Ho,  my 
learned  Theban !  drink!  drink!"  then  take  a  sip 
himself,  thrust  the  bottle  back,  and  begin  denouncing, 
storming,  growling,  laughing  again.  Never  was  such 


208  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

a  strange  mixture;  never  had  profound  science  and 
great  faculties  of  head  and  heart  been  hidden  beneath 
so  strange  an  outside. 

Thus  the  journey  passed,  and  we  reached  Exeter, 
where  the  queen  was  to  await  Sir  Theodore.  We  found 
that  she  had  just  arrived,  and  had  taken  up  her  resi 
dence  in  Bedford  House,  a  large  and  commodious 
edifice,  where  there  was  ample  room  for  herself  and 
her  suite. 

What  was  my  astonishment,  as  the  coach  of  Sir 
Theodore  Mayherne  drove  into  the  court-yard,  to  see 
Sir  Geoffrey  Hudson,  the  dwarf,  whom  I  had  last  en 
countered  near  Oxford,  come  walking  forth  gravely 
from  the  royal  apartments  !  I  afterwards  learned  that 
he  had  been  ill  throughout  the  winter,  had  finally 
recovered  and  left  the  house  of  the  headsman,  and  on 
the  very  day  of  the  queen's  departure  from  Abingdon 
had  presented  himself  before  her,  and  been  received  as 
if  naught  had  happened ;  and  here  the  pigmy  was  usher 
ing  the  great  physician  and  myself  into  the  queen's 
presence. 

Her  majesty  was  seated  in  a  large  apartment,  attended 
by  only  one  or  two  ladies.  Her  appearance  was  fever 
ish  and  excited. 

"Ah,  here  you  are,  Mayherne!"  she  exclaimed. 
"  Welcome  !  you  come  promptly." 

"It  is  the  duty  of  a  physician,  madam.  What's 
the  matter  now?" 

The  growl  had  lost  none  of  its  force.  The  physician 
scowled  at  her  majesty  Queen  Mary  as  he  would  have 
done  at  the  wife  of  his  groom. 

For  response  the  queen  blushed,  and  said, — 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  209 

"I  have  a  fever.  Parting  with  his  majesty  was  a 
terrible  trial  at  such  a  time  as  this." 

"Well,  why  did  you  part?" 

"He  required  me  to  do  so;  and  you  know,  May- 
herne,  a  wife  must  obey  her  husband." 

She  smiled  sweetly  as  she  spoke :  the  feverish  face, 
with  the  sparkling  eyes  and  the  red  cheeks  and  lips, 
was  very  beautiful. 

"  Required  \utx  \"  growled  the  physician.  "As  if 
with  that  face  a  woman  doesn't  rule  !" 

"What  do  you  say,  Mayherne?"  asked  the  queen, 
feverishly. 

"I  say  your  majesty  is  sick." 

"That  is  great  intelligence,  truly!  Oh,  I  am  very 
sick  indeed, — sick  in  mind  and  body.  I  am  afraid  I 
shall  go  mad  some  day." 

"Your  majesty  need  not  fear  that,"  growled  the 
cynical  personage.  "You  have  been  so  for  some 
time." 

"Out  on  your  abuse  of  me!"  exclaimed  the  queen. 
"You  are  as  fierce  as  a  wolf,  Mayherne.  Feel  my 
pulse." 

She  extended  her  hand  to  the  physician,  who  gazed 
at  her  with  a  singular  mixture  of  satire  and  tenderness. 

"I'll  go  through  no  such  farce  as  feeling  your  pulse," 
he  said.  "To  what  advantage?  You  are  a  woman, 
and  your  ailment  is  one  that  most  women  have  at  one 
time  or  another, — fever,  fits  of  depression,  nervous 
ness,  hysterics,  fear  of  mice  and  spiders.  Send  away 
these  handsome  young  maidens  around  you,  madam  ! 
Lady  Morton  can  stay,  if  she  chooses:  if  she  doesn't 
object,  /  don't.  This  is  a  simple  ailment,  in  which 
1 8* 


2io  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

your  majesty  is  going  to  be  worse  before  you  are  better. 
Send  off  the  maidens  !" 

The  maidens  had  already  scattered  in  dismay  from 
the  apartment.  They  had  an  awful  dread  of  the  sar 
donic  Sir  Theodore,  who  always  managed  to  say  what 
shocked  them.  I  had  witnessed  this  interview  from 
the  doorway,  through  which  the  young  ladies  now 
vanished.  I  closed  the  door,  and  know  nothing  further 
of  the  interview. 

Early  in  June  was  born,  at  Bedford  House,  the  Prin 
cess  Henrietta  Anne. 

A  fortnight  afterwards,  her  majesty,  in  her  weak  and 
prostrate  condition,  was  informed  that  the  Earl  of 
Essex,  in  command  of  the  parliament  forces,  was  rapidly 
approaching  Exeter  with  a  view  to  capture  mother  and 
babe, — the  queen  to  be  escorted  to  London  to  be  tried 
for  treason. 

Strange  and  tragic  drama !  One  would  think  that 
Fate  might  have  spared  the  pale  young  mother  clasping 
the  few-days-old  babe  to  her  bosom  and  fondling  it. 
The  poorest  rests  there,  and  is  surrounded  by  care  and 
tenderness.  This  mother — so  much  poorer  in  another 
sense  of  the  word — was  to  hear  the  tramp  of  soldiery 
growling  curses  and  threats  against  her ;  was  to  nar* 
rowly  evade  death ;  and,  more  than  all,  was  to  be  parted 
in  those  first  sacred  moments  from  her  babe  ! 

Make  me  a  tragedy,  O  poet !  I  make  none  :  I  record 
simply  the  memory  of  what  I've  seen. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  2II 


II. 
I   AM   SENT   WITH    A   FLAG   TO   LORD    ESSEX. 

THE  rumor  of  Lord  Essex's  approach  was  speedily 
followed  by  the  appearance  of  his  cavalry  vanguard  on 
the  high  hills  northeast  of  Exeter. 

I  was  looking  from  an  upper  window  of  Bedford 
House,  when  I  saw  clear  cut  against  the  sky  the  figures 
of  armed  men,  on  spirited  horses ;  and  these  descended, 
followed  by  others.  In  a  few  minutes  a  column  of 
light  dragoons  was  defiling  into  the  plain. 

I  went  at  once  to  give  information  of  the  enemy's 
approach  to  her  majesty,  and  she  commanded  that  I 
should  be  introduced  into  her  sitting-room,  where  she 
lay  upon  a  couch,  holding  her  babe  resting  upon  her 
right  arm,  passed  beneath  the  little  one's  neck.  The 
attitude  of  the  queen  was  exquisite,  and  her  pale  face 
was  quite  illuminated  by  the  charming  smile  of  the 
mother  who  looks  at  her  babe. 

"You  have  something  to  communicate,  Mr.  Cecil?" 
she  said. 

"Yes,  your  majesty;  'tis  my  duty;  and  yet  I  shrink 
from  performing  that  duty." 

The  queen  smiled. 

"  I  am  brave,  I  think,  sir;  not  happy  in  my  fortunes, 
it  may  be,  but  not  unnerved  yet.  Speak,  Mr.  Cecil." 

"  The  enemy  are  in  sight,  your  majesty,  approaching 
Exeter." 


212  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

She  closed  her  eyes,  and  her  lips  moved.  I  think  it 
was  in  prayer. 

"God's  will  be  done!"  she  said,  a  moment  after 
wards;  "and  I  expected  this  intelligence.  Oh  that  I 
had  some  of  the  brave  friends  of  the  king  to  go  and 
meet  them !" 

Her  face  flushed,  and  from  the  beautiful  eyes  darted 
a  sort  of  fire.  It  quickly  died  away. 

"I  must  banish  these  feelings,"  she  murmured;  "I 
am  no  longer  anything  but  a  poor  mother  trying  to 
escape  with  my  child." 

Some  moments  passed  in  silence.  The  queen  was 
evidently  reflecting. 

"I  must  send  and  parley  with  Lord  Essex,"  she  said, 
at  length  ;  "  the  woeful  days  have  come  upon  me,  and  I 
must  act  as  I  best  may." 

I  advanced  a  step  and  bowed  low. 

"  If  your  majesty  will  permit  me  to  be  so  bold  as  to 
offer  myself " 

"Yes,  yes  !     This  is  not  the  time  for  ceremony." 

And,  rising  to  a  sitting  position,  the  queen  clasped 
her  babe  to  her  bosom,  and  said, — 

"Yes, — go  to  my  lord  Essex;  I  will  give  you  a  line 
as  your  credentials.  Inform  him  of  my  condition  ;  say 
that  I  am  very  ill,  and  that  I  crave  his  permission — 
hateful,  odious  term  ! — Oh,  it  is  too  much  !" 

Her  eyes  flashed,  and  her  voice  shook. 

"  This  is  folly,"  she  murmured  :  "  yes,  yes, — ask  his 
august  permission  that  I  may  retire  with  my  child  from 
Exeter  before  the  place  is  invested.  I  will  go  to  Bristol 
or  Bath.  I  cannot  bear,  in  my  present  condition,  the 
alarms  of  a  siege." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  213 

With  a  feverish  hand  she  wrote  a  line  on  a  portfolio 
which  Frances  Villiers,  at  a  sign  from  her,  brought  and 
held  before  her.  This  she  gave  me  hastily.  Half  an 
hour  afterwards  I  was  spurring  at  full  speed  out  of  the 
city,  waving  a  white  scarf  upon  my  sword's  point,  to 
indicate  my  errand. 


III. 

LORD   ESSEX. 

A  MILE  from  the  city  I  nearly  ran  into  the  column 
of  dragoons,  whose  commander,  seeing  me  approach, 
ordered  a  halt.  He  was  an  officer  in  the  uniform  of  a 
colonel,  and  said,  coolly, — 

' '  You  bring  a  flag  of  truce,  sir.  Is  it  for  the  surrender 
of  the  city?" 

I  shook  my  head.     "A  missive  for  Lord  Essex." 

"  From  whom?" 

"From  her  majesty  the  queen." 

The  officer  reflected  a  moment.  "Give  me  the 
missive." 

"I  am  ordered  to  deliver  it  into  the  hands  of  Lord 
Essex." 

"  Lord  Essex  is  not  here  present." 

"  Doubtless,  sir,  he  can  be  found  nevertheless." 

"You  refuse  to  deliver  your  credentials  to  myself?" 

"I  obey  my  orders." 

"  Right,  sir.     You  are  a  soldier.     Two  troopers  to 


214  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN, 

escort  this  officer  to  his  lordship,"  he  added,  to  a  staff- 
officer. 

Five  minutes  afterwards,  I  was  again  on  my  way, — 
passing  a  long  column  of  cavalry.  Behind  these  ap 
peared  foot-soldiers.  The  force  was  heavy. 

At  last  the  men  drew  rein  at  the  foot  of  an  eminence, 
upon  which  I  saw  a  group  of  mounted  officers,  and  the 
tall  figure  of  Lord  Essex,  whom  I  knew  by  sight,  was 
seen  in  the  centre  of  the  group.  I  rode  up  to  him  and 
saluted.  He  gazed  at  me  with  attention,  evidently 
recognized  my  Guardsman's  uniform,  and  said, — 

"You  are  from  her  majesty,  sir?" 

"Yes,  my  lord." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it,"  he  said,  gravely. 

"I  have  a  missive  from  her  majesty  for  the  hands 
of  your  lordship." 

"Give  it  to  me." 

He  extended  his  hand,  and  I  presented  the  queen's 
letter,  at  sight  of  which  I  saw  a  cloud  pass  over  his 
brow. 

"This  is  a  wretched  business!"  he  muttered.  "I 
know  the  contents  of  that  paper,  and  I  do  not  wish  to 
read  it." 

His  chin  sunk  upon  his  breast,  and  his  brows  were 
knit  together. 

"  Her  majesty  has  given  birth  to  a  daughter,  has  she 
not,  sir?"  he  said,  in  a  low  tone. 

"Yes,  my  lord." 

"A  handsome  child?" 

"Yes,  my  lord." 

"  What  name  does  she  propose  to  give  the  princess, 
sir?" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  215 

"  Henrietta  Anne,  if  I  do  not  mistake,  my  lord." 

Lord  Essex  uttered  a  deep  sigh,  and  slowly  opened 
the  letter,  which  he  perused  thoughtfully,  folded  up, 
and  placed  in  his  breast. 

"I  was  mistaken:  this  paper  is  merely  your  cre 
dentials,  sir,  and  her  majesty  asks  simply  a  verbal 
response." 

I  bowed,  and  waited. 

"  I  am  loath  to  give  it." 

He  spoke  in  tones  of  deep  depression,  and  I  gazed 
at  him  attentively.  The  nobleman  and  the  soldier 
were  contending  in  him,  fiercely. 

"It  is  not  possible,"  I  said,  "that  your  lordship 
can  refuse  the  request  I  come  to  make, — namely,  that 
her  majesty  may  be  permitted  to  retire  with  her  child 
from  Exeter  before  the  place  is  invested  ?  She  is  ex 
tremely  feeble,  since  the  princess  is  but  a  few  days  old, 
and  the  privation  and  excitement  of  a  siege  might  be 
fatal  to  both  mother  and  babe." 

As  I  spoke,  an  expression  of  great  pain  came  to  the 
face  of  the  general. 

"  Cursed  war !"  he  muttered ;  "  why  did  I  ever  em 
bark  in  it?" 

"Your  lordship  said " 

"That  I  am  powerless, — utterly  powerless  !  I  can  do 
nothing  !  But  now  came  my  orders  from  the  people 
in  London  !  The  crop-eared — bah !  whose  fault  is  it 
that  I'm  here  but  my  own  ?" 

His  teeth  were  set  together  as  he  spoke. 

"  Return  to  her  majesty,  and  say,"  he  added,  "that 
Lord  Essex,  if  he  were  untrammeled,  would  send  her  a 
guard  of  honor  and  his  own  coach  to  convey  her 


2i6  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

whither  she  would  go, — that  General  Essex,  of  the 
parliamentary  forces,  cannot  grant  her  request  to  leave 
Exeter." 

"Your  lordship  cannot  possibly " 

"Act  like  a  ruffian?  Yes,  sir!  I  am  not  Lord 
Essex;  I  am  a  servant  of  these  people,  and  these  are 
the  orders  from  my  masters  !" 

He  flirted  at  me,  rather  than  presented  me  with,  an 
official-looking  document  which  he  drew  from  his  pocket. 
I  glanced  at  it,  and  saw  that  it  was  an  order  to  seize 
the  queen  and  escort  her  to  London,  where  she  was  to 
be  tried  by  parliament  for  treason  in  levying  war  upon 
England. 

The  sight  of  the  paper  filled  me  with  indignation. 

"And  your  lordship  will  not  disregard  this  outrageous 
order?" 

"I  cannot." 

"And  yet  your  lordship  commands  here:  the  civi 
lians  yonder  are  a  poor  set !" 

"Sir,  I  am  a  soldier  :  I  obey  orders  !"  he  growled. 

"And  her  majesty  will  be  tried  for  treason  ?" 

"  You  see,"  he  said,  coldly,  pointing  to  the  paper. 

"And  his  majesty,  if  he  be  captured,  will  he  too 
be  tried  for  the  same  offense, — the  penalty  of  which  is 
the  axe  of  the  headsman  ?" 

Lord  Essex  turned  pale.  "  Let  us  terminate  this 
interview,  sir!"  he  said,  almost  hoarsely. 

"As  your  lordship  will!"  I  said,  unable  to  control 
my  indignation.  "  For  my  part,  I  know  the  side  that, 
as  an  English  gentleman,  I'll  adhere  to  !" 

A  fiery  glance  replied  to  this  covert  insult ;  but  Lord 
Essex  immediately  made  me  a  ceremonious  salute. 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  217 

"  Each  gentleman  decides  for  himself,  right  or 
wrong,  sir,"  he  said,  austerely.  "Say  to  her  majesty 
the  queen  that  I  am  pained  to  refuse  her  request,  in 
consequence  of  orders  which  I  am  not  at  liberty  to 
disobey.  I  am  ordered  to  convey  her  to  London  to  be 
tried  for  treason,  to  which  is  attached  the  death-penalty; 
and  I  shall  probably  invest  Exeter  before  midnight." 

I  looked  keenly  at  Lord  Essex.  Was  this  a  notice 
to  the  queen  to  escape?  I  could  not  determine,  and, 
bowing,  turned  my  horse's  head  to  ride  back. 

"A  moment,  sir,"  said  Lord  Essex,  approaching 
me.  "  Is  her  majesty  in  bed?" 

"  On  her  couch,  my  lord." 

He  hesitated. 

"In  a  condition  to  be  moved?" 

"Scarcely,"  I  said,  guardedly. 

"Because " 

And  Lord  Essex  looked  at  me,  leaving  the  sentence 
unfinished.  Then  he  saluted,  turned  away,  and  with 
my  escort  I  rode  back,  soon  entering  Exeter  again. 


2l8  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


IV. 

THE   FATE   OF   A   QUEEN. 

THE  result  of  my  mission  showed  that  her  majesty 
could  expect  no  favor  from  Lord  Essex ;  and  prepara 
tions  were  begun  with  a  view  to  her  escape. 

There  was  no  choice  but  to  leave  the  babe  behind ; 
and  it  was  long  before  her  majesty  could  be  brought  to 
this  cruel  resolution. 

"  My  poor  child  !"  she  sobbed,  with  tears  streaming 
from  her  eyes,  "how  can  I  leave  you, — perhaps  for 
months, — perhaps  for  years?  Oh,  I  cannot,  cannot !" 

She  hugged  the  baby  to  her  bosom,  with  passionate 
sobs,  and  covered  its  small  face  with  kisses. 

"It  breaks  my  heart  to  leave  you!"  she  sobbed;  and 
then  she  began  to  prattle  baby-talk  to  it,  holding  it 
tightly  to  her  bosom,  and  looking  at  the  little  round 
face  through  her  tears. 

There  was  no  alternative,  however.  The  child  could 
not  possibly  accompany  her  on  the  arduous  journey 
she  must  make.  And  that  attempt  to  escape  was  a  dire 
necessity.  Once  captured  and  taken  to  London,  her 
fate  would  decide  the  fate  of  the  whole  conflict.  With 
his  queen  in  the  hands  of  her  relentless  enemies,  the 
kii.g  would  yield  his  crown  rather  than  see  her  blood 
flow.  She  must  escape, — leaving  her  child,  against 
whom  no  order  of  seizure  had  been  issued.  Perhaps  a 
kind  Providence  would  soon  enable  her  to  secure  pos- 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  219 

session  again  of  the  infant;  and  meanwhile  the  ladies 
of  her  suite  left  with  the  princess  would  tenderly  care 
for  her. 

Night  came,  and  the  queen  had  formed  her  resolu 
tion.  She  would  take  one  cavalier,  one  lady  of  her 
suite,  and  her  confessor,  and  steal  forth  on  foot.  All 
her  preparations  were  rapidly  made.  Her  money  and 
jewels  were  placed  in  a  casket ;  the  whole  party  were 
disguised  in  plain  clothes;  and,  remembering  Lord 
Essex's  intimation  that  the  place  would  be  invested 
before  midnight,  I  hurried  the  arrangements  for  the 
escape.  In  spite  of  everything,  however,  it  was  nearly 
daylight  before  the  party  left  Bedford  House.  I  was 
witness  of  the  parting  between  her  majesty  and  her 
child.  I  cannot  dwell  upon  it ! — 'twas  agonizing.  With 
a  burst  of  tears,  she  at  length  tore  herself  away,  leaving 
the  baby  in  charge  of  Lady  Morton  and  Frances  Vil- 
liers,  and,  leaning  upon  my  arm,  for  I  had  been  selected 
to  accompany  her  majesty,  went  forth,  a  lonely  fugitive, 
— worse  still,  a  poor  mother  without  her  babe. 

We  passed  the  city  gates,  which  were  guarded  by  a 
sentinel.  He  permitted  us  to  pass,  regarding  us,  in 
our  plain  clothes,  as  country-people.  Already  in  the 
east  a  faint  streak  of  dawn  was  seen ;  and  at  every 
moment,  as  we  hurried  on,  I  expected  to  encounter 
some  part  of  the  hostile  force.  As  yet  none  appeared. 
Had  Lord  Essex  delayed  his  advance  for  many  hours 
after  the  time  announced  by  him, — "  before  midnight"  ? 
I  like  to  think  so. 

We  pressed  on.  The  light  in  the  east  grew  brighter. 
All  at  once  a  dull  sound  issued  from  beyond  a  clump  of 
woods  which  we  were  traversing,  and  I  said>  quickly, — 


220  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"That  is  the  enemy,  your  majesty!  We  must  seek 
some  place  of  concealment." 

"Oh,  very  gladly!"  the  queen  murmured;  "my 
strength  is  wellnigh  exhausted." 

I  saw  a  hut  in  the  wood,  not  far  from  the  road.  The 
windows  had  been  torn  from  their  hinges,  and  the 
desolate  appearance  of  the  place  indicated  that  it  was 
uninhabited. 

"Here  is  a  hiding-place,  your  majesty,"  I  said; 
"  lean  your  full  weight  upon  my  arm,  and  endeavor  to 
hasten." 

The  queen  panted,  and  I  could  feel  her  leaning 
heavily  upon  my  arm.  She  clung  to  me,  almost  ex 
hausted,  and  her  head  half  fell  upon  my  shoulder. 

"Oh,  I  cannot  go  farther!"  she  murmured;  "my 
strength  is  quite  exhausted.  Save  yourself! — go,  leave 
me  !  I  will  die  here." 

I  drew  her  on  rapidly. 

"  Come,  your  majesty  !"  I  said  ;  "  here  is  the  hut." 

"I  can  go  no  farther." 

"Then  I  at  least  will  die  with  you." 

"No,  no!     I  will  try " 

And  she  tottered  on.  The  gleam  of  arms  was  already 
visible  through  the  woods,  and  I  heard  the  close  tramp 
of  the  soldiery. 

"A  few  more  steps,  and  we  are  saved!"  I  said. 

The  queen  went  on  with  faltering  steps,  leaning 
heavily  upon  me,  and  we  all  reached  the  hut.  As  we 
entered  it,  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column  emerged 
from  a  bend  in  the  woods.  Had  they  discovered  us  ? 
I  knew  not ;  but  there  was  the  chance  of  having  eluded 
their  observation.  The  hut  was  empty,  save  that  a  pile 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  22I 

of  straw  lay  in  one  corner.  In  this  I  speedily  made 
an  opening,  begged  her  majesty  to  lie  down,  and  cov 
ered  her  with  the  straw.  The  maid  of  honor  and  father 
confessor  rapidly  concealed  themselves  in  the  same 
manner;  and,  lastly,  I  made  myself  a  burrow  beside 
her  majesty,  and  hastily  covered  my  person,  leaving 
only  a  loophole  to  look  through :  then  we  lay  still. 

I  had  scarce  concealed  myself,  when  the  enemy's 
column  began  to  pass  within  a  few  yards  of  the  hut. 
They  were  burly,  begrimed,  close-cropped  pikemen, 
who  uttered  rough  jests  to  each  other  as  they  tramped 
on  by  the  hut ;  and  many  of  them  turned  their  heads 
and  looked  in,  as  they  passed. 

Suddenly  the  talk  of  some  of  the  men  attracted  my 
attention  ;  and  I  listened  with  a  sinking  heart. 

"We  are  going  to  catch  the  Canaanitess  at  last!" 
said  one,  with  a  laugh. 

"The  Jezebel!"  said  another.  "It  was  she  who 
brought  arms  and  money  from  over  seas  to  help  the 
malignants  !" 

"We  will  have  her  before  night,"  said  a  third. 
"Parliament  has  offered  fifty  thousand  crowns  for  her 
head.  She'll  be  in  London  soon,  to  be  tried  for 
treason;  and  then  hey  for  the  fine  sight  on  Tower 
Hill !  The  axe  is  sharpened  already,  and  Gregory 
Brandon  will  make  short  work  of  her,  the  painted 
French !" 

Oaths,  imprecations,  and  ribald  jests  finished  the 
sentence,  which  was  only  a  specimen  of  their  talk. 
The  queen  lay  perfectly  still.  The  column  tramped 
on.  The  day  broadened  ;  the  hours  passed  on.  Still 
the  army  continued  to  defile  by,  no  doubt  slowly  in- 
19* 


222  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

vesting  the  city,  in  order  to  shut  in  the  hoped-for 
prey. 

It  was  not  until  night  that  the  troops  ceased  to  pass. 
I  then  cautiously  emerged  from  my  place  of  conceal 
ment,  and,  in  a  low  voice,  inquired  of  her  majesty  how 
she  felt. 

"Oh,  so  weary!"  she  murmured;  "but,  thank  God, 
we  have  not  been  discovered." 

"  The  enemy  have  passed  on,  your  majesty." 

"  Doubtless  Exeter  is  invested." 

"Yes,  madam." 

I  could  hear  the  queen  weeping  quietly ;  then  there 
came  in  a  murmur,  interrupted  by  a  sob,  "  My  poor 
babe!" 

"Do  not  grieve  for  the  princess,  your  majesty,"  I 
said:  "she  is  quite  safe,  and  will  not  be  molested. 
And  now  I  will  go  reconnoitre." 

The  result  was  discouraging.  The  vicinity  was  filled 
with  rabble  followers  of  the  army,  whose  bivouac -fires 
sparkled  in  wood  and  field.  More  than  once  dusky 
figures  passed  near  the  hut ;  and  finally  I  was  com 
pelled  to  hastily  re-enter  my  place  of  concealment. 
There,  in  the  pile  of  straw,  the  queen  and  all  of  us  lay 
until  the  next  evening, — without  food,  surrounded  by 
the  enemy, — not  daring  to  move.  I  have  often  thought 
since  of  that  terrible  time,  vainly  asking  myself  how 
this  poor  mother,  just  risen  from  her  sick-bed,  sustained 
that  ordeal  of  fasting.  It  remains  incomprehensible. 
Was  it  the  fever  of  excitement  which  bore  her  up  ? 

At  length  the  welcome  shades  of  night  came,  and  the 
vicinity  of  the  hut  seemed  free  at  last  of  enemies.  I 
assisted  the  queen  from  her  place  of  concealment ,  and 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  223 

summoned  the  rest  of  the  party.  Their  appearance 
was  almost  comic.  The  worthy  priest  was  covered 
with  straw,  and  the  fair  maid  of  honor  looked  utterly 
woe-begone. 

There  was  no  time  now  to  lose.  The  queen's  des 
tination  was  Plymouth,  where  she  hoped  to  find  a 
harbor  of  refuge ;  and,  tottering  on,  she  managed  to 
proceed,  with  the  support  of  my  arm,  over  the  road 
trampled  to  a  quagmire  by  the  horses  of  the  army- 
wagons.  At  an.  humble  house  I  managed  to  secure 
some  food  for  the  party ;  we  then  hastened  on  as 
rapidly  as  the  queen's  exhausted  condition  would  per 
mit  ;  and  thus  passed  the  long  hours  of  the  night.  To 
wards  morning  we  found  ourselves  in  Dartmoor  Forest ; 
here  another  deserted  hut  gave  us  shelter,  and,  to  our 
great  satisfaction,  several  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  the 
queen's  suite,  who  had  escaped  in  disguise  by  different 
gates  of  Exeter,  joined  her,  and  cheered  her  by  in 
telligence  of  her  babe's  well-doing. 

Towards  evening  we  ventured  forth  again,  deter 
mining  to  run  the  risk  of  encountering  scouting-parties. 
We  had  scarce  started,  however,  when  the  tramp  of 
hoofs  was  heard  behind  us,  and  through  the  twilight  a 
horseman  was  seen  coming  on  at  full  gallop. 

I  drew  my  rapier,  and  turned  to  meet  the  new 
comer,  resolved  to  supply  her  majesty  with  a  horse. 

"  Halt !"  I  ordered,  as  he  drew  near;  but  the  rider 
came  on  at  full  speed.  I  presented  my  weapon  at  the 
animal's  throat  and  prepared  to  seize  the  bridle,  when 
suddenly  I  recognized  the  dwarf  Geoffrey  Hudson. 

"  Ho  !  ho  !"  I  said  ;  "  'tis  you,  then  !" 

"With  a  horse  for  her  majesty,"  said  the  pigmy, 


224  nER    MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

leaping  to  the  ground.  "I  dismounted  a  six-footer 
with  a  bullet  to  procure  it." 

And,  walking  gravely  with  the  bridle  of  the  tall  ani 
mal,  thrown  over  his  arm,  the  pigmy  approached  the 
queen,  made  her  a  formal  salute,  and  said, — 

"I  beg  your  majesty  to  accept  my  horse:  my  cloak 
will  serve  your  majesty  for  a  cushion." 

He  threw  the  right-hand  stirrup  over  the  saddle, 
spread  his  velvet  cloak — a  mere  baby  garment — over 
all,  and,  holding  the  bridle  for  the  queen  to  mount, 
made  another  low  salute. 

"You  are  a  faithful  friend,  Geoffrey,"  said  the 
queen,  smiling  sadly ;  "and  indeed  I  am  exhausted." 

I  hastened  to  assist  her  majesty  to  mount,  and  she 
uttered  a  sigh  of  relief.  The  poor  weary  foot  in  its 
half-worn  slipper  was  thrust  into  the  stirrup,  I  took 
my  place  beside  her  majesty's  rein,  and  then  the  whole 
party  advanced  rapidly  through  the  gloomy  Dartmoor 
Forest  towards  Plymouth. 

It  was  a  strange  and  silent  march,  and  a  strange 
party.  A  queen  and  a  bevy  of  noble  young  ladies,  in 
rough  clothing,  worn  and  dusty;  gentlemen,  once 
ornaments  of  the  court,  in  the  garb  of  plowmen; 
and  in  front  of  all,  striding  on  with  grave  dignity,  a 
pigmy  being, — the  dwarf, — whose  appearance  was  that 
of  a  babe,  save  that  at  his  side  he  wore  a  good  sharp 
sword. 

We  reached  the  vicinity  of  Plymouth,  but  there  dis 
covered  that  the  place  was  dangerously  favorable  to 
parliament.  It  was  necessary  to  proceed  still  farther, 
in  the  direction  of  Falmouth ;  and,  emerging  from  a 
wood,  we  perceived  a  large  castle  crowning  a  promon- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  225 

tory.     A  countryman  passed  at  the  moment,  gazing 
curiously  at  our  party. 

"What  castle  is  that?"  I  said. 

"  Pendennis,"  was  the  brief  response.  A  second  ques 
tion  drew  forth  the  information  that  a  gentleman  of 
the  royal  party  commanded  at  the  castle.  We  hastened 
on  joyfully,  were  received  with  enthusiasm  upon  an 
nouncing  ourselves,  and  at  last  her  majesty  was  in  a 
place  of  refuge. 

"The  news  from  Exeter,  sir?"  she  said  hastily  to 
the  officer  commanding. 

"It  is. regularly  invested  by  Lord  Essex,  your  maj 
esty;  but  his  majesty  the  king  is  said  to  be  advancing 
by  forced  marches  to  relieve  the  place." 

As  he  spoke,  the  officer  looked  curiously  forth. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  the  queen  inquired,  with 
sudden  agitation. 

"A  courier,  your  majesty,  from  the  way  he  rides." 

And,  soliciting  permission  to  leave  the  apartment,  the 
officer  went  to  meet  the  man.  In  fifteen  minutes  he 
returned,  bearing  a  dispatch. 

"For  your  majesty,"  he  said,  presenting  it  with  a 
bow. 

"Is  it  possible?  How  was  my  presence  here  dis 
covered  ?' ' 

"The  courier  entered  Exeter  just  as  the  enemy  ap 
proached  the  place,  and,  discovering  from  some  one  of 
your  majesty's  suite  that  you  had  left  the  city  to  go 
westward,  followed  you,  heard  of  you  by  the  way,  and 
has  reached  you  with  his  majesty's  missive." 

"  His  majesty  !"  cried  the  queen  ;  and  she  hastened 
to  open  the  letter. 
K* 


226  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

As  she  read  it,  her  pale  face  flushed  with  happiness ; 
then  she  turned  pale,  and  let  the  letter  fall  in  her  lap. 

"  Oh,  I  cannot !  I  cannot !"  she  exclaimed. 

As  she  uttered  these  words,  her  eyes  encountered  my 
own. 

"  He  commands  me  to  sail  for  France  ! — to  leave 
England  ! — him  ! — my  babe  !  Oh,  no  !  no  !  I  can 
not !  I  will  not!" 

And  the  queen  began  to  tremble,  her  eyes  filling 
with  tears.  Brushing  them  away  with  one  of  her 
thin  hands,  she  rose  and  went  to  the  chamber  prepared 
for  her.  An  hour  afterwards  she  summoned  me  to  her 
presence,  and  said,  in  a  broken  voice, — 

"  I  sail  for  France  to-morrow, — there  is  a  ship  in 
Falmouth  harbor,  sent  by  my  son,  the  Prince  of 
Orange. — His  majesty  orders  me  to  go, — mark  me, 
orders  me  to  go  !  I  dare  not  disobey  him  ! — My  heart 
is  breaking  ! — Oh,  my  child  !  my  child  !  my  poor, 
poor  little  deserted  babe  !  I  will  not !  Oh,  no  !  no  ! 
I  cannot  !  Who  would  ever  think  me  aught  but  a 
wretched,  heartless  mother !  But  my  husband — he 
commands  me,  saying  in  that  letter  there  that  my  cap 
ture  loses  him  his  crown." 

The  poor  queen  rose,  wildly  clasping  her  hands. 

"  But  to  leave  my  child  !  my  little  one  but  a  few 
days  old  ! — my  little  babe  that  looks  at  me  already 
laughing  from  her  eyes,  as  though  she  loved  me  even 
now  !  Oh,  what  can  I  do  ? — My  heart  is  broken  ! — I 
can  never  leave  her; — but  the  king, — his  crown — I 
will — obey  my  husband  ! ' ' 

The  queen  tottered,  and  I  caught  her  in  my  arms  as 
she  was  falling. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  227 


V. 

THE   COURAGE   OF   A   WOMAN. 

TwENTY-four  hours  after  this  scene,  the  queen,  ac 
companied  by  her  suite,  had  embarked  for  France. 

A  leaden  torpor  seemed  to  weigh  her  down.  She  no 
longer  sobbed,  cried,  or  exhibited  indeed  any  emotion 
whatever.  Seated  upon  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  she 
looked  back  towards  the  English  coast,  in  the  direction 
of  Exeter ;  and  we  who  stood  around  her  dared  not 
intrude  upon  that  august  despair. 

Others  less  ceremonious,  however,  were  speedily  to 
appear  upon  the  scene. 

The  vessel  containing  her  majesty  was  making  straight 
for  the  port  of  Dieppe,  on  the  French  coast,  and  had 
long  left  the  English  headlands  behind,  when  through 
a  slight  mist  there  appeared  indistinctly  the  outlines  of 
several  sail, — cruisers,  it  was  feared,  under  the  flag  of 
the  parliament. 

The  commander  of  the  queen's  vessel  carefully  re 
connoitred  through  his  glass,  and  then,  closing  it,  an 
nounced  that  this  fear  was  correct.  His  only  hope  now 
was  to  pass  them  unseen,  or  uncared  for,  and  he  crowded 
on  all  sail  for  that  purpose. 

Suddenly  an  ominous  "boom"  echoed  from  the  fog, 
and  a  cannon-shot  passed  in  front  of  the  vessel,  dip 
ping  and  disappearing. 


228  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

It  was  the  signal  to  stop.  The  commander  looked 
at  the  queen. 

"That  is  an  order  to  heave  to,  your  majesty,"  he 
said. 

"Well,  sir?"  said  the  queen,  in  a  low,  monotonous, 
apathetic  voice. 

"  I  await  your  majesty's  orders." 

"My  orders?" 

"  Shall  I  proceed,  or  obey  the  signal,  your  majesty?" 

"Proceed." 

The  vessel  continued  its  way,  dancing  upon  the 
waves,  now  rising  before  a  fresh  gale,  and  dashing  the 
foam  from  her  cutwater. 

Suddenly  a  second  shot  came,  and  this  time  it  passed 
over  the  deck  of  the  vessel. 

"  This  is  becoming  somewhat  dangerous  for  your 
majesty,"  said  the  captain.  "  What  shall  I  do  ?" 

"  I  am  ordered  by  my  husband,"  said  the  queen,  in 
the  same  low,  monotonous  voice,  "  to  leave  England  to 
avoid  capture,  and  sail  for  France." 

The  officer  bowed  low. 

"Your  majesty's  order  agrees  with  my  own  wish.  I 
will  then  continue  my  way." 

"Do  so,  sir." 

A  third  cannon-ball  passed  like  a  sea-gull  at  the  in 
stant,  and  one  of  the  sailors  who  was  leaning  over  the 
gunwale  was  hurled,  a  mangled  corpse,  into  the  sea. 
The  captain  looked  at  the  queen. 

"Go  on,  sir,"  she  said,  coldly. 

The  pursuers  now  commenced  a  rapid  and  continu 
ous  cannonade.  The  balls  passed  to  the  right,  left,  and 
through  the  rigging  of  the  ship.  At  every  instant  those 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  229 

on  board  expected  her  hull  or  masts  to  be  struck ;  and 
the  chasing  vessels  seemed  to  gain  on  her  moment  by 
moment.  Ever  nearer  and  nearer  came  the  now  fright 
ful  roar  of  the  big  guns ;  the  cannon-balls  of  the  enemy 
skimmed  the  deck,  or  tore  their  way  into  the  hull. 

The  captain  hastened  to  the  spot  where  the  queen  sat 
beside  the  helmsman.  His  face  was  flushed  now,  and  he 
had  evidently  had  aroused  in  him  the  ire  of  the  sailor 
who  sees  his  craft  in  danger  of  destruction. 

"Shall  I  return  the  fire,  your  majesty?"  he  asked. 
"I  hate  to  see  my  ship  cut  in  two  by  these  people, 
and  I  have  a  gun  that  will  send  back  a  good  ball 
and  make  them  keep  a  little  farther  off,  perchance." 

The  queen  raised  her  dull  eyes. 

"  You  wish  to  fire?" 

"  Yes,  your  majesty." 

"I  forbid  it.   Time  would  be  lost.    I  wish  to  escape." 

The  captain  saluted. 

"Your  majesty's  order  will  be  obeyed,  and  any  others 
she  may  give." 

He  waited. 

"You  desire  my  orders,  sir?"  the  queen  said,  still 
in  the  same  apathetic  voice. 

"Yes,  your  majesty." 

"  Set  every  sail." 

"  It  will  be  dangerous,  your  majesty.  Look  !  yonder 
comes  a  storm.  " 

He  pointed  to  an  inky  cloud,  heralded  by  gusts 
which  struck  the  vessel,  almost  drowning  the  roar  of 
the  cannon. 

"  Set  every  sail,  in  spite  of  the  storm,"  the  queen 
replied.     "  I  am  ordered  to  escape." 
20 


230  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"And  if  the  enemy  come  up  with  us,  or  disable  my 
vessel, — what  orders  then,  your  majesty?" 

"  Fire  the  powder-magazine  and  blow  up  the  ship," 
said  the  queen.  "  I  do  not  mean  to  be  taken." 

And  she  sank  again  into  apathy ;  but  the  expression 
of  her  countenance  indicated  clearly  that  she  was  pro 
foundly  in  earnest  in  giving  the  order. 

The  captain  saluted  and  turned  from  the  queen.  At 
the  same  instant  a  cannon-ball  cut  the  mainmast  in  two, 
and  it  fell  over  the  side,  with  sails  and  rigging.  The 
ship  shuddered  through  every  timber,  and  the  huge 
mast,  held  by  the  rigging,  became  an  enormous  batter 
ing-ram,  hurled  at  every  instant  against  the  vessel's  side 
by  the  waves  now  lashed  to  storm. 

"  I  think  the  time  has  come,  your  majesty,"  said  the 
captain.  "  We  shall  be  captured  in  thirty  minutes,  if 
we  do  not  sink." 

"My  order  remains  unchanged,"  the  queen  replied, 
coldly. 

"Your  order ?" 

"To  blow  up  the  ship." 

Suddenly  a  cheer  from  the  crew  was  heard.  The 
captain  turned  quickly.  A  mile  to  windward,  three  or 
four  vessels  were  rapidly  bearing  down,  and  the  French 
flag  was  plainly  made  out.  They  quickly  approached, 
and  the  crew  uttered  a  second  cheer.  The  parliament 
ary  ships  had  drawn  off,  and  a  gun  only  at  long  inter 
vals  now  indicated  that  they  had  given  up  the  pursuit. 

The  queen  had  not  moved  or  spoken.  As  the  storm 
drove  the  disabled  ship  towards  the  French  coast,  now 
in  sight,  she  continued  to  gaze  out  upon  the  waters 
towards  England  with  the  same  despairing  apathy.  It 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  231 

•was  only  by  the  happiest  chance  at  last  that  the  vessel 
reached  a  cove  in  the  rocky  coast.  There  the  queen 
entered  one  of  the  boats,  and  was  tossed  on  the  summit 
of  the  great  waves  towards  the  shore.  All  at  once  the 
boat  grounded,  and  I  leaped  into  the  sea.  The  queen 
rose  at  my  signal,  I  took  her  in  my  arms,  after  the 
sailor  fashion,  bore  her  to  shore,  and  deposited  her 
upon  the  rocks  wet  with  spray  and  sea-weed.  The  rest 
landed,  and,  with  the  members  of  her  suite,  the  queen 
wandered  along  the  shore,  seeking  shelter  from  the 
storm.  This  we  found  in  an  assemblage  of  fishermen's 
huts  ;  and.  a  messenger  was  sent  thence  to  the  chateau 
of  a  gentleman  in  the  vicinity  to  announce  the  pres 
ence  of  the  daughter  of  Henry  IV.  on  French  soil. 

The  intelligence  spread  like  magic,  and  the  rude 
fishermen's  village  was  soon  crowded  with  the  coaches 
of  the  neighboring  nobility,  eager  to  succor  the  English 
queen  thus  thrown  upon  French  hospitality.  She  left 
the  village  in  one  of  these  chariots,  and  was  graciously 
pleased  to  signify  her  wish  that  I  should  occupy  a  seat 
in  the  same  vehicle. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Cecil,"  she  said,  as  the  coach  rolled  on, 
"God  has  mercifully  preserved  us." 

She  spoke  in  the  same  sombre  voice ;  but  I  could  see 
tears  in  her  eyes  now. 

"From  the  storm,  your  majesty,  and  the  enemy: 
that  is  doubtless  your  meaning?" 

"Yes,  and  from  my  wicked  self  too.  I  have  been 
thinking  of  my  child,  and  of  my  sinful  order  to  blow  you 
all  up  in  the  ship.  I  had  no  right  to  give  such  an  order ; 
and  yet  I  gave  it  calmly  and  meaning  it.  I  can  now 
accuse  myself  of  want  of  moral  courage  to  master  my 


232  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

pride ;  and  I  give  thanks  to  God  for  having  preserved 
meat  the  same  time  from  my  enemies  and  from  myself."* 

Her  head  sank  as  she  spoke,  and  gradually  tears  gath 
ered  in  her  eyes  and  rolled  slowly  down  her  cheeks. 

"  My  poor  husband  ! — my  poor,  poor  little  babe  !" 
she  sobbed.  "  Oh,  when,  when  shall  I  ever  see  them 
again?" 


VI. 

MY   PROMISE. 

. 

THESE  events  took  place  in  the  month  of  July,  1644. 

In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  I  was  back  in  Eng 
land,  bearer  of  a  private  dispatch  from  her  majesty, 
then  at  the  baths  of  Bourbon,  to  his  majesty  the  king, 
then  in  the  neighborhood  of  Oxford. 

I  need  not  speak  in  these  memoirs  of  my  brief  stay 
in  France  at  that  time,  any  more  than  I  did  of  my 
sojourn  in  the  Low  Countries.  This  volume  strives 
to  depict  incidents  occurring  on  English  ground;  and 
accordingly  I  pass  to  the  moment  when  I  again  trod 
the  beloved  soil  of  my  home-land. 

The  times  I  found  more  than  ever  "out  of  joint." 
The  struggle  between  king  and  parliament  had  steadily 
become  more  bitter  and  envenomed.  It  was  now  a 

*  Her  majesty  afterwards  used  nearly  these  same  expressions  in 
speaking  to  her  friend  Madame  de  Motteville,  as  may  be  seen  in  that 
lady's  Memoirs.  "  I  did  not  feel  any  extraordinary  effort,"  she  said, 
"  when  I  gave  the  order  to  blow  up  the  vessel." 


233 

conflict  of  life  and  death ;  and  during  my  absence  at 
Exeter  with  her  majesty,  disastrous  events  had  taken 
place  for  the  royal  cause.  Early  in  July  was  fought  the 
great  battle  of  Marston-Moor,  where,  against  the  pro 
test  of  my  lord  Newcastle,  his  highness  Prince  Rupert 
attacked  the  enemy  and  was  badly  beaten.  Later  in  the 
same  month,  York  surrendered  to  the  parliament.  In 
October  the  king  sustained  a  second  defeat  on  the  old 
ground  of  Newbury,  and,  save  that  Lord  Essex  was 
defeated  in  turn  with  the  force  he  commanded  in 
Cornwall,  no  gleam  of  light  came  from  any  quarter 
to  cheer  the  adherents  of  his  majesty.  Shut  up  in  the 
city  of  Oxford,  deprived  of  the  consolation  of  the 
queen's  presence,  seeing  all  around  him  evidences  of 
failing  fortunes,  the  king  had  little  to  cheer  him,  and, 
when  I  saw  him  first  after  my  return,  seemed  plunged 
in  melancholy. 

He  received  me  in  private  audience,  and  questioned 
me  minutely  as  to  the  health,  spirits,  and  surroundings 
of  the  queen.  I  informed  him  upon  all  points,  and 
gave  his  majesty  a  detailed  account  of  her  strange 
adventures  at  Exeter  and  on  the  sea.  As  I  spoke,  his 
pale  cheeks  filled  with  blood,  his  eyes  flashed,  and  he 
exclaimed, — 

"'Twas  like  her!     Brave  and  true !  brave  and  true  !" 

His  majesty  was  pleased  then  to  express  his  satisfac 
tion  with  the  humble  part  I  had  borne  in  the  escape  of 
the  queen,  to  declare  his  confidence  in  me,  and  to  dis 
miss  me  with  expressions  of  his  royal  regard. 

As  I  issued  from  the  royal  presence,  Harry  met  me, 
arm  in  arm  with  the  gay  young  Frank  Villiers,  whose 
blue  eyes  gave  me  friendly  welcome.  We  all  went  to 


234  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

the  quarters  of  the  Guards,  now  on  duty  at  Oxford.  M) 
old  friends  received  me  with  an  ovation,  and  during 
the  winter  I  remained  at  Oxford,  dreaming  of  Frances 
Villiers  and  wondering  where  she  then  was.  The  vic 
tim  still  of  my  old  passion,  I  could  not  banish  her  from 
my  mind.  But  I  never  spoke  of  her  to  Harry,  fearing 
to  arouse  old  memories.  He  was  equally  reticent : 
her  name  was  never  uttered  by  either  of  us.  I  knew 
not  whether  he  still  pined  for  her,  and  could  only  re 
solve  to  adhere  to  my  resolution  not  further  to  prose 
cute  my  suit. 

Spring  came,  and  both  sides  assembled  all  their 
forces.  Fairfax  was  appointed  general-in-chief  of  the 
parliamentary  troops.  Under  General  Fairfax  nomi 
nally,  but  in  reality  over  him,  was  the  cold,  resolute, 
ardent,  explosive  General  Cromwell.  He  it  was  who 
now  came  to  put  the  coup  de  grace  to  his  majesty's 
fortunes.  Intellect  governs  the  world;  and  'twas  the 
brain  of  that  single  man  that  shaped  the  history  of 
England.  Of  the  loose  and  disjointed  armies  of  par 
liament  he  made  one  great  engine  :  the  troops  became 
inspired  with  his  own  indomitable  will  to  conquer : 
his  pikemen  marched  to  battle  chanting  uncouth 
psalms,  despising  death  and  wounds,  raised  by  that 
afflatus  above  care  for  life.  In  the  person  of  the 
plain  countryman  whom  I  had  met  at  Mr.  Hamp- 
den's  in  Buckinghamshire,  now  become  the  supreme 
ruler  of  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  men,  the  troops 
had  found  their  master  and  the  name  that  led  them 
to  victory. 

'Twas  a  strange  fanaticism,  that  of  the  puritan  sol 
diery  then, — those  "Independents"  advancing  re- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN'.  235 

morselessly  over  church  and  king.  I  will  not  laugh  at 
it :  'twas  grotesque,  but  terrible  too.  I  pass  on  to  events. 

June  of  the  dark  year  1645  arrived,  and  the  flags  of 
king  and  parliament  fronted  each  other  on  the  soon-to- 
be-famous  ground  of  Naseby. 

Harry  and  I  were  lying  in  our  tent  on  the  night 
before  the  battle,  and,  as  the  long  hours  went  on,  we 
remained  awake,  talking  of  a  thousand  things.  At  last 
our  talk  came  to  concern  one  subject  alone, — Frances 
Villiers  and  the  love  we  bore  her.  Harry  laughed 
rather  than  replied  to  me,  and  I  loved  him  more  than 
ever  for  that.  Convinced  that  his  passion  was  un 
changed,  and  penetrated  to  the  heart  by  that  great 
wealth  of  brotherly  love  which  thus  surrendered  the 
dear  object  to  his  rival,  I  saw  in  his  laughter  but  a 
new  evidence  of  his  noble  delicacy,  but  proof  of  the 
fact  that  he  wished  to  make  light  of  his  great  sacrifice. 
The  thought  brought  tears  to  my  eyes. 

"You  shall  not  find  me  less  magnanimous  than 
yourself,  brother,"  I  said. 

"  Pooh,  Ned  !"  was  his  gay  reply,  "go  on  and  court 
the  fair  one.  Why  not?" 

I  rose  on  my  elbow  from  the  camp-couch,  and,  with 
flushed  cheeks,  said,  in  a  low  tone, — 

"  I  will  not !  Never  will  I  utter  word  of  love  whilst 
I  am  my  brother's  rival !" 

Harry  laughed  aloud  thereat,  and  said, — 

"  Suppose  I  go  under  to-morrow,  old  fellow?" 

"No  matter!"  I  cried:  "I  have  promised!  Whether 
you  pass  unharmed  or  fall,  my  word  is  given  :  until  I 
obtain  my  Harry's  permission  I  swear  I  will  never  utter 
love-word  to  Frances  Villiers!" 


236  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

As  I  spoke,  the  sudden  sound  of  a  trumpet  was  heard 
without,  and  footsteps  hastening  to  and  fro,  mingled 
with  the  neighing  of  horses.  A  sergeant  put  in  his 
head. 

"To  horse,  gentlemen!"  he  cried;  for  it  was  the 
fashion  in  the  aristocratic  corps  of  the  Guards  to  ob 
serve  this  courtly  and  very  unmilitary  mode  of  address. 

Harry  sprang  up.      "  What's  the  matter?"  he  cried. 

"The  enemy's  horse  threaten  the  train,"  was  the 
reply. 

The  trumpet  sounded  more  shrilly  the  call  "Boots 
and  saddles  ! ' ' 

In  ten  minutes  we  were  mounted,  and,  commanded 
by  Prince  Rupert  in  person,  were  moving  rapidly  to 
the  point  of  danger. 

The  parliament  horse  had  indeed  advanced  to  attack 
the  king's  trains,  but  at  our  appearance  they  gave  up 
the  design,  and  retreated,  skirmishing,  to  their  main 
body  again. 

The  day  dawned  as  we  fell  back;  and  soon  the  sound 
of  martial  music  indicated  that  the  camps  were  astir. 

The  king  was  forming  his  line  of  battle.  As  the  sun 
rose  he  was  ready. 

The  disastrous  day  of  Naseby  had  come. 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 


VII. 

THE   LAST   HOPE   OF   THE    KING   AND    OF   THE    CECILS. 

I  SHALL  speak  but  briefly  of  the  tragic  combat  of 
Naseby.  For  long  a  curse  seemed  to  weigh  on  the 
very  name,  to  me ;  even  now,  I  wellnigh  shudder  when 
'tis  pronounced. 

The  king  commanded  his  army  in  person, — Prince 
Rupert  leading  the  right,  Sir  Marmaduke  Langdale  the 
left.  On  the  enemy's  side,  Fairfax  was  the  general-in- 
chief ;  and  his  right  was  led  by  General  Cromwell,  his 
left  by  Ireton. 

Rupert  opened  the  battle,  as  was  habitual  with  him, 
by  a  cavalry  charge.  He  rushed  upon  Ireton,  and  to 
that  resolute  officer  I  found  myself  personally  opposed. 
A  brief  sword-encounter  followed,  and  I  was  near  dis 
arming  him. 

"  Surrender  !"  I  cried. 

"  Never  !"  was  his  gallant  reply. 

With  a  sweep  of  his  broadsword  he  cut  the  feather 
clean  from  my  hat,  and  it  is  probable  that  I  would  have 
fared  badly  in  the  encounter,  when  a  trooper  ran  his 
weapon  through  his  thigh,  and  he  was  taken  prisoner, 
still  fighting  and  refusing  to  surrender,  like  the  brave 
man  he  was. 

Rupert  had  meanwhile  pushed  on,  driving  the  enemy's 
left  before  him.  It  was  the  strange  fate  of  this  head 
long  cavalier  to  defeat  the  enemy  always  at  the  outset, 


238  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

but  ever  by  some  blunder  to  lose  all  the  fruits  of  his 
victory.  Such  was  the  event  now  at  Naseby.  The 
enemy's  left  was  routed  and  driven.  The  prince  could 
fight,  but  could  not  command  :  he  stopped  to  summon 
the  enemy's  artillery  to  surrender  before  charging  it ; 
thus  precious  time  was  lost,  and  the  golden  moment 
passed.  A  deafening  shout  from  our  left  and  rear 
attracted  all  eyes  to  that  quarter. 

The  spectacle  was  terrible. 

As  Rupert  charged,  the  king  had  advanced  his  whole 
line,  leading  it  in  person.  Mounted  upon  a  superb 
charger,  his  head  bare,  and  waving  his  hat,  his  majesty 
rode  in  front  of  his  line,  exposing  himself  to  the  heaviest 
fire,  and  calling  upon  his  troops  to  follow  him.  They 
responded  with  cheers,  and  in  a  moment  the  opposing 
lines  clashed  together.  Before  the  royal  charge  the 
parliament  forces  gave  back,  as  before  Rupert ;  but 
suddenly  there  appeared  upon  the  scene  that  terrible 
new  element,  the  "Independent"  pikemen  of  Crom 
well.  These  now  advanced,  slow  and  stern  as  an  in 
carnate  Fate.  Nothing  stood  before  the  surging  hedge 
of  steel ;  the  triumphant  royalists  were  first  checked, 
then  forced  back,  then  broken  wellnigh  to  pieces:  the 
whole  left  wing  of  the  king  was  crushed  by  this  irre 
sistible  weight  of  pikes. 

We  saw  this,  we  of  the  Guards,  from  a  distance,  and 
heard  the  fierce  shouts.  Prince  Rupert  understood  all, 
and  his  eyes  blazed  as  they  witnessed  the  spectacle.  I 
was  near  him,  and  our  eyes  met. 

"  Go  to  the  king  !  go  to  the  king  !"  he  cried,  "  and 
say  I  will  be  with  him  instantly  !" 

I  saluted,  and  wheeled  my  horse. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  239 

"  Stay  !  Take  Hans  with  you.  You  may  be  shot. 
Say  I  will  come  instantly." 

And,  turning  to  the  gigantic  corporal  who  always  rode 
near  him,  the  prince  exclaimed, — 

"  Go  with  him." 

At  the  word,  the  huge  black-bearded  Hans  thundered 
to  my  side. 

"  I  gome  mit  you,"  he  said,  drawing  his  sword,  and 
putting  spur  to  his  horse.  Without  a  word,  I  went 
back  at  full  speed,  and  we  were  near  the  king,  when  I 
saw  my  companion  reel. 

"  You  are  shot !"  I  cried. 

lt  Hilf  Himmel !"  escaped  from  the  giant's  lips.  Then 
he  raised  his  huge  hand  to  his  breast,  threw  back  his 
head,  and,  falling  from  his  horse,  was  trampled  under 
the  iron  hoofs. 

I  had  no  time  to  aid  him,  even  had  not  a  glance  told 
me  that  he  was  dead.  I  spurred  straight  to  the  king, 
who  was  fighting  in  the  midst  of  his  men.  He  saw  me 
coming,  and  exclaimed, — 

"Where  is  the  prince?" 

"  He  bids  me  say  he  will  be  with  your  majesty 
instantly." 

"  I  fear  'tis  too  late;  the  left  wing  is  broken." 

The  tumult  drowned  his  voice,  and  the  king  con 
tinued  to  fight  personally,  like  a  private  soldier,  care 
less  of  all  peril.  I  was  near  him,  and  now  witnessed  a 
still  more  tragic  event.  The  hedge  of  steel  slowly 
moved,  as  on  a  pivot,  and  enveloped  the  king's  left. 
Stern  and  menacing  swept  round  the  immense  wall  of 
pikes,  and  through  the  smoke  I  saw  their  commander, 
the  thenceforward  terrible  General  Cromwell.  He  sat 


240  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

his  horse  perfectly  motionless,  in  front  of  his  left.  No 
statue  could  be  stiller,  and  he  resembled  rather  a  bronze 
or  stone  figure  than  a  man.  From  time  to  time  his  lips 
moved,  and  a  brief  command  seemed  to  issue  from 
them.  Otherwise  the  man  was  even  fearfully  cold  and 
immovable, — a  Fate  incarnate. 

Suddenly  Rupert  appeared,  and  I  wheeled  my  horse 
and  joined  my  comrades.  Without  a  word,  and  seeing 
all  at  a  glance,  the  prince  charged  straight  on  the  hedge 
of  steel.  It  did  not  move  :  the  horses  impaled  their 
chests  on  the  sharp  steel  points,  but  made  no  opening. 
Then  I  knew  that  all  was  over :  the  terrible  wall  was 
closing  around  us  ;  nothing  was  left  for  the  followers 
of  the  king  but  to  die,  sword  in  hand. 

I  had  faced  that  conviction,  and  set  my  teeth  close 
for  the  event,  when  Harry,  covered  with  dust  and  blood, 
rushed  past  me  on  his  superb  courser. 

"Come  on,  Ned!"  he  shouted,  waving  his  sword, 
and  laughing;  "there's  time  yet  ere  sunset  to  drive 
these  carles  back  ! ' ' 

I  spurred  to  his  side. 

"The  day  is  lost,  brother,  but  we  can  die  here,"  I 
said ;  and  we  charged  side  by  side. 

A  moment,  and  all  was  over.  A  pike  pierced  the 
chest  of  Harry's  horse,  and  the  animal  reared  and 
fell  backward.  At  the  same  instant  my  own  horse  was 
wounded  and  recoiled.  Harry's  sword  cut  the  air  ;  I 
heard  him  utter  a  defiant  shout ;  then  he  was  hurled  to 
the  ground,  and  a  pike  was  driven  into  his  breast. 

The  awful  sight  unmanned  me,  almost.  A  second 
cry — of  agony  this  time — burst  from  my  lips.  I  seemed 
to  see  for  an  instant,  through  the  cloud  of  smoke,  the 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  241 

dying  face  of  my  brother  ;  his  eyes  turned  upon  me  for 
the  last  time.  Then  a  hot  iron  seemed  to  pass  through 
my  breast, — a  bullet  had  struck  me, — and  I  reeled  in  the 
saddle.  My  bridle  was  violently  grasped  by  the  pike- 
man  in  front  of  me  ;  I  could  make  no  resistance ;  but 
suddenly  my  horse  tore  away  from  his  assailant,  turned, 
and  lashed  out  with  his  heels  ;  the  man  was  hurled  back 
by  the  iron  feet,  and  I  found  myself — faint,  reeling, 
senseless  almost — borne,  at  a  swift  gallop,  back  to  the 
king's  line. 

I  ran  almost  against  his  majesty.  He  was  bareheaded  ; 
his  eyes  flamed.  With  clothes  covered  with  dust  and 
grimed  with  smoke,  and  cheeks  which  seemed  on  fire, 
he  drove  into  the  midst  of  the  combatants,  waved  his 
sword  above  his  head,  and  shouted,  in  hoarse  tones, 
which  echo  still  in  my  memory, — 

"  One  charge  more,  and  we  recover  the  day  !" 

A  roar  drowned  his  voice,  and  there  was  scarce  more 
than  a  feeble  cheer  in  response  to  his  shout.  The  day 
was  decided  :  all  felt  that  Cromwell's  terrible  pikemen, 
advancing  resistless  as  fate,  would  bear  down  all  before 
them.  No  further  stand  was  made ;  and  the  royal 
forces  were  seen  on  all  sides  retreating  in  disorder 
from  the  field. 

I  was  tottering  in  the  saddle,  and  through  the  mist 
before  my  eyes  I  could  see  but  little.  I  made  out, 
however,  in  that  cloud,  one  face,  over  which  was 
spread  the  pallor  of  despair.  It  was  the  face  of  the 
king,  who  had  checked  his  horse  and  sat  looking  with 
a  sort  of  stupor  upon  the  scene  before  him.  He  sat 
thus  for  a  moment  only.  Two  noblemen  seized  his 
bridle  and  bore  him  from  the  field  at  a  gallop. 

L  21 


242  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

Unconsciously  I  followed ;  leaning  upon  my  horse's 
neck,  faint  and  dying  almost,  I  went  on  at  full  speed. 
After  that  I  remember  only  confused  cries,  the  clash 
of  arms,  the  roar  of  guns  in  pursuit.  Then  green  woods 
were  around  me,  the  noises  died  away,  darkness  seemed 
to  descend  upon  me,  and  I  lost  consciousness. 


VIII. 

BACK   TO    CECIL    COURT. 

WHEN  I  fully  regained  my  senses,  and  realized  my 
actual  whereabouts,  I  found  myself  lying  in  my  bed  at 
Cecil  Court,  with  the  eyes  of  my  father  and  Cicely 
fixed  upon  me. 

"Thank  God!"  exclaimed  my  father,  drawing  a 
long  breath,  "  the  fever  has  taken  a  turn  at  last." 

Tears  came  to  his  eyes,  and  Cicely  threw  herself, 
sobbing  for  joy,  upon  her  knees,  and  pressed  my  thin 
hand  to  her  lips. 

From  that  moment  I  began  to  convalesce,  and  was 
soon  informed  of  my  own  adventures  after  the  battle. 
Frank  Villiers  had  come  up  just  as  I  was  falling  from 
my  horse,  and  had  managed  to  secure  a  hospital-wagon 
flying  wildly  from  the  field.  In  this  I  was  placed.  A 
considerable  sum  in  gold  had  bribed  the  driver  to 
convey  me  to  Cecil  Court.  I  had  arrived  raging  with 
fever.  For  months  my  life  had  been  despaired  of,  for 
a  bullet  had  passed  through  my  chest ;  but  finally  youth 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  243 

and  health  had  conquered,  and  I  rallied  from  the  very 
brink  of  the  grave. 

It  was  to  find  the  arms  of  my  father  and  sister  around 
me,  but  to  realize  that  the  royal  cause  was  lost,  and 
that  our  brave,  our  dear  Ha^ry  was  forever  taken  from 
us.  His  last  charge  and  his  fall  had  become  known  at 
Cecil  Court,  and  the  woeful  duty  devolved  upon  me 
now  to  relate  the  particulars.  I  did  so,  in  the  midst 
of  sobs,  and  with  a  great  gush  of  tears  from  my  own 
eyes.  Father  and  sister  wept  in  silence.  Cicely  drew 
close  to  me,  kissed  me,  and  murmured, — 

"You  alone  are  left  us." 

Months  passed  on,  and  I  grew  stronger.  Finally  I 
left  my  sick-bed  and  began  to  totter  about  the  house. 
A  hopeless  sadness  had  taken  possession  of  me.  I 
scarce  gave  a  thought  to  the  fate  of  the  cause  I  had 
fought  for,  thinking  only  of  my  brother  and  his  dying 
face. 

A  languid  interest  in  public  affairs  came  finally  to 
dispute  this  possessing  thought.  Naseby  had  ended 
the  struggle.  Soon  thereafter  Prince  Rupert  surren 
dered  Bristol,  for  which,  'twas  said,  the  king  had  dis 
graced  and  banished  him.  Then  his  majesty  took 
refuge  with  a  remnant  of  force  at  Oxford.  Then  he 
fled  to  Newark,  delivering  himself  up  to  the  Scottish 
army. 

It  was  not  until  late  summer  that  I  was  able  to  leave 
the  house  and  move  slowly  about  the  grounds  at  Cecil 
Court.  No  one  molested  me.  Sir  Jervas  Ireton's 
flaming  loyalty  to  the  parliament  had  secured  him  an 
official  appointment  in  London  ;  and  no  one  in  the 
vicinity  seemed  disposed  to  harass  the  poor  wounded 


244  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

officer.  Still,  there  was  no  certainty  that,  at  any 
moment,  I  would  not  be  arrested.  I  was  therefore 
anxious  to  leave  Cecil  Court  and  not  compromise  my 
father.  Whither  I  should  go  was  a  difficult  question. 
But  I  could  find  a  refuge  somewhere.  And  it  was  just 
at  the  moment  when  I  heard  that  Sir  Jervas  Ireton 
was  coming  down  from  London  that  an  unforeseen  inci 
dent  occurred  which  was  to  send  me  forth  again  upon 
the  stormy  waters  of  that  troubled  epoch. 


IX. 

I  GO  TO  CHARLECOTE  AND  MEET  WITH  AN  ADVENTURE. 

THE  incident  which  I  shall  now  relate  leads  me  to 
speak  of  a  spot  connected  with  a  very  great  writer.  I 
mean  Charlecote,  the  residence  of  the  Lucy  family, 
near  Cecil  Court, — Charlecote,  where  Will  Shakspeare 
was  seized  by  Sir  Thomas  Lucy  for  trespassing  on  his 
park  and  shooting  deer. 

As  this  adventure  has  been  discredited  of  late  days 
by  some  persons,  I  will  stop  here  in  my  narrative  to 
briefly  record  the  actual  truth.  'Tvvas  vouched  for  to 
my  father  by  no  less  a  personage  than  Will  Shakspeare 
himself.  And  this  is  the  story  told  by  the  great  play- 
writer,  laughing  over  his  wine  at  Cecil  Court.  The 
knight's  gamekeeper,  a  huge,  black-bearded  individual, 
had  really  seized  him,  he  said,  whilst  trespassing  one 
moonlight  night  on  Charlecote  Park  to  shoot  the  deer. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  245 

'Twos  in  company  with  some  roystering  young  blades 
of  Stratford,  and  the  affair  was  a  mad  frolic ;  but  it 
speedily  became  serious.  Shakspeare  shot  and  killed  a 
stag  with  his  old  matchlock,  and  alarmed  the  game 
keeper.  At  his  approach  the  party  fled ;  but  Shak- 
speare's  foot  caught  in  a  root,  and  he  fell.  Thereupon 
the  gamekeeper  darted  upon  him,  pinioned  his  arms 
without  difficulty,  as  he  was  a  mere  boy  and  powerless 
in  his  opponent's  hands ;  and,  after  a  night's  imprison 
ment  in  the  gamekeeper's  lodge,  he  was  conducted 
before  Sir  Thomas  Lucy,  who  had  been  notified  of  the 
fearful  outrage  upon  nis  rights  of  landed  proprietor. 
My  father  described  the  account  given  him  by  Shak 
speare  as  excellently  entertaining.  The  irate  knight, 
Sir  Thomas  Lucy,  he  said,  sat  in  awful  state  in  his 
great  hall  at  Charlecote,  and  listened  in  stern  silence 
to  the  animated  harangue  of  his  gamekeeper.  There 
was  no  doubt  of  the  youth's  guilt :  he  had  been  caught 
in  the  act,  and  the  dead  deer  lay  on  the  floor.  The 
knight  gazed  on  the  beardless  culprit,  burst  forth  at 
length  into  an  address  full  of  rage,  and  swore  that  but 
for  the  respectability  of  his  father,  John  Shakspeare,  he 
would  put  him  in  the  stocks.  He  was  finally  discharged, 
the  knight  declaring  his  intention  of  proceeding 
regularly  against  him  for  trespass.  And-,  not  liking  the 
aspect  of  affairs,  Shakspeare  determined  to  go  with  one 
of  his  wild  companions  to  London.  He  did  so,  began 
writing  for  the  stage,  acquired  great  fame,  and  when 
afterwards  he  met  Sir  Thomas,  now  a  gray-haired  man, 
said,  laughing, — 

"See,  Sir  Thomas  !   'tis  your  fault  that  an  excellent 
poacher  has  become  but  a  poor  writer  of  plays  !" 

21* 


246  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Such  had  been  the  incident  which  attached  an  his 
toric  interest  to  a  plain  old  manor-house.  "Pis  the 
fate  of  places  and  personages  connected  with  great  men 
to  become  famous.  .Doubtless,  outside  of  Warwick 
shire  no  one  had  ever  heard  of  Charlecote  had  not  a 
scapegrace  shot  deer  there  and  afterwards  written  King 
Lear  and  Hamlet. 

Well,  to  come  back  now  to  myself  and  my  own 
adventure  at  Charlecote. 

Lady  Lucy,  the  wife  of  Sir  Thomas,  son  of  the  old 
knight,  was  my  firm  friend  ;  and  one  of  the  first  houses 
I  visited,  as  soon  as  I  rode  out  for  exercise,  was  Charle 
cote.  It  was  a  beautiful  day  of  summer  when  I 
entered  the  great  park  and  walked  my  horse  slowly 
up  the  long  avenue  of  century  elms  and  oaks.  The 
old  park  was  exquisite,  and  quite  charmed  the  eye. 
The  Avon  makes  a  bend  there,  and  runs  through  the 
grounds,  sweeping  around  the  base  of  a  grassy  hill. 
Some  stately  swans  were  sailing  majestically  upon  the 
surface  of  the  stream,  deer  were  seen  stealing  away 
through  the  vistas  in  the  trees,  and  the  rooks  were 
cawing  dreamily  in  the  summits  of  some  great  elms, 
where  they  had  built  their  nests,  year  after  year,  for 
more  than  a  century,  'twas  said. 

I  approached  the  old  mansion, — which  was  of  the 
Elizabethan  style,  with  stone  groins  and  shafts,  lofty 
casements,  and  armorial  bearings  cut  over  the  gate, — 
entered  the  little  court-yard,  where  beds  of  brilliant 
flowers  delighted  the  eye,  and,  giving  my  horse  to  a 
groom,  entered  the  great  hall,  with  its  rows  of  family  por 
traits  in  stiff  ruffs  and  powder,  and  thence  to  Lady  Lucy's 
drawing-room,  where  I  was  received  most  graciously. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  247 

Sure,  naught  on  earth  is  more  charming  than  the 
sympathy  of  woman.  Lady  Lucy  smiled  with  an  ex 
quisite  sweetness  as  she  greeted  the  poor  pale  soldier, 
pressed  my  hand  with  affectionate  warmth,  and  an  hour 
passed,  full  of  sunshine  and  sympathy. 

At  last  I  rose  to  go,  and  had  taken  my  hat  and 
gloves,  when  the  door,  which  stood  ajar,  was  thrust  open 
by  some  one,  and  I  saw  a  child  standing  on  the  thresh 
old  and  looking  in  furtively.  It  was  a  little  beauty, — 
a  girl  with  rosy  cheeks,  bright  eyes,  and  profuse  brown 
curls,  about  two  years  of  age,  and  full  of  health  and  joy. 

I  was  about  to  ask  the  name  of  this  child,  for  Lady 
Lucy  had  none,  when  her  ladyship  rose  hastily,  ex 
claiming, — 

"  Run  away,  my  child  !     You  must  not " 

The  caution  came  too  late.  The  little  girl  ran  to  the 
lady,  caught  a  fold  of  her  dress,  looked  furtively  at  me 
for  a  moment,  then  gradually  approached  me,  grasped 
with  her  tiny  hand  the  feather  trailing  from  my  hat, 
and,  raising  her  brilliant  brown  eyes  to  my  face,  said, 
in  baby  patois, — 

"What  dat  is?" 

"  It  is  a  feather,  my  child,"  I  said,  smiling.  "And 
now,  can  you  tell  me  your  name?" 

Instead  of  doing  so,  the  little  one  continued  to 
regard  with  the  deepest  interest  the  plume  depending 
from  my  beaver. 

"  Your  ladyship  has  a  charming  little  relative  there," 
I  said,  smiling;  "but  do  you  know  I  have  not  yet  had 
the  honor  of  an  introduction  ?  A  sweeter  face  I  never 
saw,  I  think,  with  its  bright  eyes  and  curls." 

Before  Lady  Lucy  could  reply,   the  little  maiden 


248  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

wheeled,  and  ran  to  and  fro,  singing.  The  song 
seemed  suggested  by  the  word  "curls,"  which  I  had 
used  :  it  was  a  baby  lyric,  delivered  with  baby  pronun 
ciation,  and  was  word  for  word  what  follows : 

"  There  was  a  little  durl  [girl], 
And  she  had  a  little  turl  [curl] 

Wight  in  de  middle  of  \\erforwid ; 
When  she  was  good, 
She  was  vewy,  vewy  good, 

And  when  she  was  bad  she  was  ho'wid/" 

"  There,  there,  my  child  !  the  servants  have  taught 
you  these  foolish  songs,"  said  Lady  Lucy;  "that  is 
enough  !  Run  away  now  ! ' ' 

"  Not  before  I  know  the  name  of  my  little  friend," 
I  said,  puzzled  by  Lady  Lucy's  persistent  avoidance 
of  that  point;  and,  smoothing  the  child's  curls,  I 
asked,  smiling, — 

"What  is  your  name,  little  one?" 

"  Henwietta  Anne." 

The  name  struck  me  suddenly.  It  was  that  of  the 
queen's  child  born  at  Exeter.  I  looked  quickly  at 
Lady  Lucy. 

"  Do  not  ask  me  anything  !"  she  exclaimed.  "You 
are  a  friend  of  the  good  cause — I  rely  upon  you ;  but 
this  is  not  my  secret :  not  even  to  you  may  I " 

"  You  may  venture  to  tell  Mr.  Cecil  our  secret,  Lady 
Lucy,"  came  in  low  tones  from  without  the  door  :  "he 
has  seen  the  princess  before, — soon  after  her  birth,  at 
Exeter." 

And  Frances  Villiers,  mild,  calm,  queenly,  with  her 
air  of  unmoved  sweetness,  glided  into  the  room  and 
saluted  me. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  249 


X. 

THE   FLIGHT   FROM   CHARLECOTE. 

THIS  unexpected  encounter  with  Frances  Villiers 
astonished  me  beyond  words;  but  the  young  lady 
soon  explained  all,  and  I  shall  sum  up  her  explanation 
in  a  few  sentences. 

The  king,  when  informed  of  Lord  Essex's  advance 
upon  Exeter  to  seize  the  queen,  had  hastened  by 
forced  marches  to  re^gve  the  place.  This  he  had 
effected.  Essex  retired  before  him,  and  the  king, 
entering  the  city,  embraced  at  Bedford  House  the 
poor  child,  to  whom  he  gave  the  name  Henrietta 
Anne,  as  the  queen  desired.  Compelled  then  to  take 
the  field  again,  he  left  the  babe  at  Exeter,  in  charge  of 
Lady  Morton  and  Frances  Villiers ;  and  there  the  child 
remained  until  the  decisive  battle  of  Naseby.  There 
after  she  was  not  safe ;  and,  as  Lady  Morton  was  very 
ill,  Frances  Villiers  took  entire  charge  of  the  child, 
flying  first  to  the  house  of  one  friend  of  the  royal  cause, 
then  to  another.  Thus,  in  course  of  time,  she  took 
refuge  at  Charlecote, — the  Lucy  family  being  relatives 
of  the  Villiers  and  warm  friends  of  the  king.  Here 
the  young  lady  and  child  had  now  been  for  many 
months ;  but  the  time  had  come  when  they  would  be 
compelled  to  seek  a  more  secure  hiding-place.  All 
this,  Frances  Villiers  related  in  her  calm,  composed 
voice,  which  made  the  strange  romance  of  the  whole 


250  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

affair  seem  the  most  commonplace  series  of  events  in 
the  world. 

"And  what,  if  I  may  ask,  is  your  intention  now,  Miss 
Villiers?"  I  said. 

"  To  leave  Charlecote,  and,  if  possible,  England,  sir. 
This  neighborhood  is  not  safe.  There  is  a  Sir  Jervas 
Ireton  in  the  vicinity,  who  has  gained  information, 
'tis  said,  of  the  presence  of  the  princess.  He  will  aim 
therefore,  as  he  is  a  flaming  zealot,  to  seize  the  child 
and  deliver  her  up  to  parliament ;  and  to  avoid  this 
we  must  resume  our  wanderings." 

She  spoke  in  her  sweet,  calm  accents,  looking  ten 
derly  at  the  child.  Something  exquisite  appeared  in 
her  eyes  : — was  it  the  sacred  internal  instinct  ?  I  think 
that  is  in  all  women. 

11  But  whither  will  you  go?"  I  said. 

"  I  have  nearly  resolved — I  may  say  quite  resolved — 
to  try  to  take  the  princess  from  the  country,"  she  replied. 

"  But  you  will  be  arrested  on  the  way." 

"  Not  if  a  good  disguise  be  assumed,  sir.  I  think  I 
might  elude  the  king's  enemies." 

"A  disguise  !  what?" 

"  That  of  a  beggar-woman  and  child." 

The  plan  seemed  wild  and  impracticable.  How 
could  this  delicate  young  lady  trudge  through  half 
England  on  foot,  with  a  child  nearly  two  years  old 
toddling  on  beside  her  or  borne  on  her  back?  But 
as  Miss  Villiers  spoke  further,  and  developed  her 
scheme, — as,  with  cheeks  glowing  now  with  love  and 
devotion,  she  unfolded  her  resolve, — it  began  to  assume 
a  new  shape ;  I  gradually  passed  to  her  side ;  and,  de 
spite  the  opposition  of  Lady  Lucy,  it  was  decided, 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  251 

before  our  interview  terminated,  that  the  romantic 
attempt  should  be  made,  and  that  /  should  accompany 
Miss  Villiers. 

Against  that,  I  must  do  her  the  justice  to  say,  the 
young  lady  fought  hard.  Wholly  destitute  of  primness 
and  prudery,  she  was  yet  a  person  who  never  forgot 
the  strictest  rules  of  propriety ;  and  it  was  long  before 
I  could  prevail  upon  her  to  consent  to  my  companion 
ship.  At  last,  however,  she  yielded, — Lady  Lucy  in 
sisting  that  if  the  attempt  was  made  I  must  accompany 
them ;  and  it  was  determined  that  we  should  set  out, 
as  soon  as  night  had  fallen,  on  the  next  evening. 

I  returned  to  Cecil  Court  to  arrange  my  disguise 
and  prepare  for  my  journey.  I  was  all  excitement  and 
agitation.  Thus  fate  had  once  more  thrown  me  with 
the  woman  whom  I  loved  more  than  I  loved  my  own 
life.  I  was  to  accompany  her  as  companion,  friend, 
and  defender,  if  necessary,  on  a  long  and  perilous 
journey,  which  would  throw  me  into  hourly  contact 
with  her.  I  was  to  look  into  her  eyes,  hear  the  accents 
of  her  voice,  feel  the  pressure  of  her  hand,  and  through 
out  all  I  was  to  conduct  myself  as  a  friend,  and  only  as 
a  friend.  For  I  recalled  my  promise  to  poor  Harry, 
that  I  would  never  without  his  permission  utter  a  word 
of  love  to  Frances  Villiers.  He  was  dead  :  that  per 
mission  could  never  be  accorded :  my  best  course, 
therefore,  was  to  remain  away  from  temptation ; — 
and  here  I  was  to  be  thrown,  every  hour,  day  and 
night,  for  days,  weeks,  it  might  be  months,  with  the 
woman  whom  I  loved  with  my  whole  soul,  between 
whom  and  myself  rose  nevertheless  that  impassable 
barrier,  my  solemn  promise  given  to  the  dead  ! 


252  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEAT. 

Returning  to  Cecil  Court,  in  a  mood  of  greater 
agitation  than  I  had  believed  possible,  I  set  about 
procuring  my  disguise  for  the  journey.  This  was 
easily  effected  :  the  cast-off  livery  of  a  serving-man 
supplied  me  with  just  what  I  required  ;  and  then,  shut 
ting  myself  up  with  my  father  in  the  library,  I  revealed 
my  intent. 

He  warmly  commended  the  design, — instead  of  op 
posing  it,  as  I  had  feared.  Miss  Villiers,  he  said,  was 
a  true  heroine,  and  the  project  was  not  so  wild  as  it 
seemed.  He  would  provide  me  with  gold  for  the 
journey,  and  pray  for  my  welfare.  But  we  must 
hurry :  that  man  Ireton  was  coming,  and  would  nose 
out  something. 

All  things  having  thus  been  arranged,  I  retired,  not 
to  sleep,  however,  but  to  lie  awake  and  think  of  Frances 
Villiers.  The  morning  came,  and  the  day  dragged  on. 
The  sun  slowly  declined,  and,  retiring  to  my  chamber, 
I  assumed  my  disguise.  I  descended  then,  embraced 
Cicely,  who  started  back  in  affright  as  I  entered, 
pressed  my  father's  hand,  and  was  just  issuing  forth, 
when  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  was  seen  galloping  rapidly  up 
the  avenue. 

No  time  was  to  be  lost ;  and  I  ignominiously  fled  out 
of  the  back  door.  My  horse  had  just  been  saddled, 
and  was  about  to  be  brought.  I  leaped  upon  him,  put 
spur  to  his  side,  and  went  at  full  speed  across  the  fields, 
leaping  fences  and  ditches,  towards  Charlecote. 

Had  I  been  seen?  I  could  not  answer  that  ques 
tion.  I  either  saw  or  fancied  that  I  saw  some  troopers 
who  rode  in  the  suite  of  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  hastily  sepa 
rate,  gesticulating  and  pointing  me  out.  This  might 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  253 

have  been  fancy,  however.  Under  any  circumstances, 
no  time  was  to  be  lost.  I  went  on  at  full  speed, 
stopped  for  nothing  in  the  way,  and,  reaching  the 
grounds  around  Charlecote,  galloped  up  the  long  avenue 
to  the  house. 

Lady  Lucy  met  me  at  the  door,  and  I  hastily  in 
formed  her  of  the  danger.  I  had  probably  been  per 
ceived.  If  Ireton  had  knowledge  of  the  presence  of 
the  princess  at  Charlecote,  he  would  have  intelligence 
enough  to  suspect  that  I  had  gone  to  give  warning 
of  the  danger.  He  would  thus  press  forward  at  once. 
No  time  was  to  be  lost.  Where  was  Miss  Villiers? 

The  young  lady  replied  to  the  question  in  person. 
I  could  scarce  realize  that  it  was  the  elegant  and  high 
born  maid  of  honor  who  now  stood  before  me  in  the 
dingy  and  tattered  garb  of  a  beggar-woman.  The  dis 
guise  was  perfect.  The  slender  figure  of  the  young 
girl  was  a  shapeless  bundle  of  rags ;  her  beautiful  hair 
had  been  remorselessly  shorn  ;  a  huge  hood  covered 
her  head  and  scarce  allowed  her  face  to  be  seen ;  and 
the  fair  skin  had  been  pitilessly  stained  with  some  dye 
which  brought  it  to  resemble  the  weather-beaten  com 
plexion  of  a  beggar-woman. 

The  princess  had  been  metamorphosed  in  a  manner 
equally  perfect.  The  little  figure  was  bundled  up  in 
an  old  gown  and  tattered  cloak.  On  the  delicate  feet 
were  coarse  shoes.  It  was  not  an  aristocratic  young 
dame  and  the  daughter  of  a  king  I  saw  before  me, 
but  a  mendicant  and  child  in  the  last  stage  of  poverty. 

"Your  disguise  is  excellent,  Miss  Villiers,"  I  said, 
hurriedly ;  "  but  we  have  no  time  now  for  compliments. 
Sir  Jervas  Ireton  is  coming  !" 
22 


254  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

And  I  related,  in  brief  words,  my  escape  from  Cecil 
Court.  I  was  still  speaking,  when  Lady  Lucy  uttered 
an  exclamation.  I  looked  through  the  window,  and 
saw  the  burly  personage  thundering  straight  up  the 
avenue,  followed  by  his  men. 

"We  must  separate,"  I  said,  "and  endeavor  to 
leave  the  house  instantly." 

Miss  Villiers  inclined  her  head.  Save  a  slight  color 
in  her  proud  cheeks,  there  was  no  indication  of  emo 
tion. 

"Endeavor  to  leave  by  the  side  court,"  I  said, 
hastily.  "  I  will  go  out  by  the  rear  gate  and  join  you 
on  the  road  to  Stafford,  where  the  three  elms  crown 
the  hill." 

The  rendezvous  was  a  well-known  spot,  and  I  knew 
Miss  Villiers  could  not  mistake  it.  She  disappeared, 
with  the  princess,  towards  a  side  door;  and,  running 
to  the  rear  of  the  house,  I  reached  my  horse,  which 
stood  there,  just  as  a  trooper  galloped  around  and 
approached. 

The  incident  was  far  from  unacceptable.  It  was  gall 
and  wormwood  to  me  to  skulk  away  thus  before  the 
enemy  of  my  family.  I  went  up  to  the  trooper,  who 
was  an  open-mouthed  clodhopper,  seized  his  bridle, 
and,  before  he  could  realize  my  design,  caught  him  by 
the  throat  and  dragged  him  from  the  saddle. 

As  I  did  so,  he  woke  as  it  were  from  his  astonish 
ment,  and  uttered  a  loud  shout.  I  picked  up  his  mus- 
quetoon,  which  had  fallen  near  him,  dealt  him  a  blow 
on  the  head,  which  silenced  him,  and,  leaping  on  my 
horse,  gained  the  dense  foliage  of  the  wood. 

Sir  Jervas  Ireton  appeared  suddenly,  spurring  furi- 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  255 

ously  towards  the  fallen  trooper.  As  he  passed  around 
the  house,  another  spectacle  made  my  heart  beat  fast. 
I  saw  Frances  Villiers,  in  her  disguise  of  a  beggar- 
woman,  with  the  princess  bundled  up  in  a  ragged 
cloak  on  her  back,  quietly  pass  out  of  the  house  by  the 
side  door,  take  a  path  which  led  to  the  wood,  and 
gain  its  shelter  entirely  unmolested. 

Her  enemies  had  either  not  seen  her,  or  did  not  sus 
pect  for  an  instant  that  their  prey  was  thus  escaping 
them.  Whatever  the  explanation  may  have  been,  the 
young  girl  with  her  precious  burden  had  passed  safely 
through  the  very  midst  of  her  enemies.  Without  fur 
ther  apprehension,  I  leaped  a  low  place  in  the  park 
wall,  turned  my  horse  loose,  knowing  that  the  intelli 
gent  animal  would  find  his  way  back  to  Cecil  Court, 
and  rapidly  ran  in  the  direction  taken  by  Miss  Villiers. 

In  ten  minutes  I  had  joined  her.  I  assisted  her  over 
the  wall ;  we  hastened  on  by  a  path  which  I  knew  per 
fectly  well.  Darkness  quickly  descended,  and,  taking 
the  young  lady's  hand,  I  led  her  on  until  we  gained  a 
country  road. 

"Yonder  is  the  north  star,  Miss  Villiers,"  I  said, 
"  and  this  is  the  road  to  Campden.  Give  me  the 
princess." 

I  took  the  child  in  my  arms  and  walked  on  steadily. 

"  Every  step  we  take  now  brings  us  nearer  to 
France!" 


256  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


XL 

ON   THE   HIGHWAY. 

I  LOOK  back  on  that  journey  with  Frances  Villiers  and 
the  little  princess  to  the  sea-coast  as  the  most  remark 
able  passage  in  a  life  filled  with  singular  adventures. 

Trudging  along  on  foot,  or  securing  places  in  some 
chance  conveyance, — the  cart  of  a  countryman  going 
to  market,  or  other  humble  vehicle, — we  went  upon 
our  way,  the  young  lady,  the  princess,  and  myself, 
and  thus  passed  safely  through  the  torn  and  distracted 
realm  until  we  were  in  the  southern  shires  and  neared 
the  Channel.  The  land  was  all  laid  waste,  and  an  in 
expressible  disquiet  and  unrest  filled  the  face  of  every 
one.  War  had  come  to  overthrow  the  old  peace  and 
happiness  of  merry  England.  On  all  sides  dismantled 
houses,  torn-down  fences,  and  deserted  villages  marked 
the  presence  of  that  crudest  of  all  demons,  the  demon 
of  Civil  War. 

The  war  was  virtually  over;  but  the  land  had  not 
settled  to  rest  again,  for  the  triumphant  side  had 
divided  into  two  factions,  the  Presbyterians  and  the 
stern  Independents,  the  latter  led  by  Cromwell  now ; 
and  'twas  a  question  whether  a  new  struggle,  more 
violent  than  the  first,  would  not  ensue.  From  this 
general  sketch,  however,  which  might  lead  me  into 
political  and  historical  disquisitions,  for  which  I  have 
no  fancy,  I  pass  to  my  personal  adventures. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  257 

I  have  said  'twas  a  strange  passage  in  my  life,  that 
journey;  and  my  relations  with  Frances  Villiers  made 
it  stranger  still.  A  lover  who  had  sworn  to  utter  no 
word  of  love,  but  whose  passion  was  no  secret  from  its 
object,  was  journeying  with  the  one  dearest  to  him; 
and  the  singular  character  of  that  journey  threw  him 
incessantly  with  his  companion.  Over  long  miles  of 
heath,  through  great  woods,  across  desolate  moors,  by 
day  and  by  night,  we  traveled  in  company;  and  all 
this  time  it  was  only  as  friend  to  friend  that  we  ad 
dressed  each  other.  The  child  walked  sometimes,  but 
was  generally  carried  upon  my  back  or  in  my  arms. 
This  I  insisted  upon ;  though  more  than  once  Frances 
Villiers  compelled  me  to  yield  her  charge  to  her,  and 
the  delicate  and  aristocratic  girl  would,  for  hours, 
against  my  protest,  bear  the  child  in  a  bundle  upon 
her  own  shoulders. 

More  than  once  we  were  suspiciously  gazed  at  by 
chance  wayfarers  wearing  the  colors  of  the  parliament ; 
and  twice  roving  parties  peered  into  wagons  wherein 
we  rode,  but  without  finding  good  reason  to  stop  us. 
'Twas  in  this  latter  manner  that  much  of  the  way  was 
traversed.  The  poor  and  humble  proved  themselves 
our  best  friends ;  and  often,  as  we  went  on  slowly,  we 
heard,  from  some  yeoman  in  a  smock-frock,  earnest 
wishes  expressed  for  the  happiness  of  the  king,  now 
routed  and  a  fugitive.  The  only  danger  was  from 
the  princess,  who  had  been  dressed  as  a  boy  and  in 
rags, — to  her  huge  disgust, — and  called  Pierre.  When 
asked  her  name  by  these  poor  people,  she  babbled  the 
word  princess,  however,  and  we  were  often  in  great 
trepidation. 


258  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"That  is  the  manner  in  which  he  pronounces  his 
name, — Pierre,"  the  young  lady  would  say;  and  an  op 
portune  diversion  of  the  conversation  would  do  away 
with  further  danger. 

At  last  we  reached  the  sea-coast,  and,  leaving  the 
young  lady  and  child  in  a  fisherman's  hut,  I  went  to 
reconnoitre,  and  discover,  if  possible,  the  means  of 
crossing  the  Channel.  The  result  was  extremely  dis 
couraging.  The  coast  was  thoroughly  guarded,  and 
no  vessel  of  any  description  could  pass  to  France  with 
out  being  stopped.  I  returned  with  this  discouraging 
information  to  Miss  Villiers  :  we  took  counsel  together, 
and  finally  came  to  the  resolution  of  boldly  proceeding 
to  Dover  and  taking  the  packet  which  ran  at  stated 
periods  across  the  Channel. 

We  proceeded,  therefore,  along  the  coast,  reached 
Dover,  and  luckily  found  the  packet  just  about  to  set 
sail. 

"  Come,"  I  said,  in  a  low  tone,  as  we  mingled  in  the 
crowd,  "  we  will  go  boldly  on  board,  and  I  will  under 
take  to  answer  all  questions. ' ' 

We  had  just  reached  the  deck,  when  the  commander 
gave  the  order  to  take  in  the  plank  leading  to  the  jetty. 

"  Have  all  the  passports  been  examined  ?" 

I  shrank  back  with  the  young  lady  and  child  into  a 
corner. 

"  Ay,  ay,  sir,"  was  the  reply  of  the  person  addressed, 
a  rough-looking  personage  in  a  broad  hat. 

The  next  moment  the  plank  was  drawn  on  board, 
the  cable  was  unslung  from  the  wharf,  and  the  packet 
moved  under  full  sail  out  into  the  Channel,  heading 
towards  France. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  259 

I  was  still  shrinking  low,  with  my  companion,  in  my 
corner,  when  the  man  in  the  broad  hat  passed  near  me, 
and  said,  without  turning  his  head, — 

"  I  was  groom  in  the  Guards  once,  sir.  I  know 
you,  but  am  not  the  man  to  betray  you.  Many  a 
friend  of  the  good  cause  is  leaving  the  country.  Go 
down  in  the  aft  cabin,  and  mix  with  the  crowd." 

I  hastened  to  follow  this  friendly  advice,  and  we 
were  soon  lost  in  the  mass.  On  the  same  evening  we 
were  on  French  soil,  and  set  forward,  without  stop 
ping,  for  Paris. 

Three  days  afterwards,  Queen  Henrietta  Maria,  in 
an  apartment  of  the  Louvre,  was  holding  in  her  arms 
the  poor  child  whom  she  had  last  seen  at  Exeter,  sob 
bing,  and  covering  her  with  kisses. 

Such  was  that  singular  adventure.  I  look  back  to  it 
now,  when  my  hair  grows  gray,  with  more  pleasure 
and  satisfaction  than  to  all  else  I  had  part  in  during 
the  great  English  civil  war. 


XII. 

MY   PARTING   WITH    FRANCES   VILLIERS. 

I  REMAINED  in  France  until  the  ensuing  spring,  per 
forming  the  duties  of  private  secretary  to  her  majesty. 

Then  there  came  to  me  a  great  longing  to  return  to 
England.  I  was  ill  at  ease  in  the  Louvre.  The  splen 
did  French  court  jarred  a  discord  upon  my  feelings. 


260  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

I  longed  to  go  back  to  my  home-land,  and  to  leave 
Frances  Villiers. 

Does  that  last  statement  appear  strange?  'Tis  true, 
nevertheless.  To  be  near  her  was  torture;  alternate 
torpor  and  fever  possessed  me.  Loving  a  woman  with 
my  whole  soul,  and  yet  bound  to  the  dead  by  a  solemn 
promise  never  to  speak,  I  found  my  heart  agitated  and 
torn,  my  very  health  giving  way. 

The  queen  came  to  my  relief.  She  summoned  me 
to  her  private  apartments  one  morning,  and,  extending 
towards  me  a  packet,  said,  with  deep  sadness, — 

"I  wish  you  to  convey  this  to  his  majesty,  Mr. 
Cecil." 

I  bowed  low  and  took  the  letter. 

"He  is  at  Holmby  House,  in  Northamptonshire," 
said  the  queen.  "Escaping  from  Oxford,  to  take 
refuge  with  those  people  at  Newcastle,  he  has  been 
sold  by  them, — sold,  for  the  sum  of  four  hundred 
thousand  pounds  !  And — oh  ! — it  is  infamous  ! — it  is 
infamous !" 

And  the  queen  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears. 

"Bear  with  me,"  she  faltered,  at  length,  through 
tears  and  sobs.  "I  am  only  a  poor  woman  !  I  will 
try  to  be  calm." 

And,  passing  a  handkerchief  across  her  eyes,  she 
added,  more  composedly, — 

"The  parliament  people  hold  him  a  prisoner,  not 
knowing  what  to  do  with  him.  The  Presbyterians  and 
odious  Independents  differ.  I  would  have  him  decide 
the  matter  by  leaving  the  country  and  taking  refuge  in 
France.  Bear  him  this  letter,  Mr.  Cecil :  it  contains 
my  prayer  that  he  will  make  the  attempt.  Do  not  let 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN,  26l 

i 

it  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands;  and  may  Heaven  pros 
per  you  in  your  journey  !" 

She  covered  her  face  with  her  hand,  and  attempted 
to  speak  again,  but  no  words  came ;  and  I  retired 
respectfully  from  the  apartment,  leaving  her  majesty 
bending  over  the  little  princess  Henrietta  and  weeping. 

On  the  same  night  I  had  assumed  my  disguise  and 
was  on  the  road  to  England.  A  last  interview  with 
Frances  Villiers  had  gone  near  to  unman  me.  At  the 
moment  of  parting,  when  'twas  doubtful  if  we  should 
ever  meet  again,  she  permitted  her  feelings  to  show 
themselves  j  and  'twas  this  which  made  my  heart  sink. 
Let  me  pass  briefly  over  this,  and  say  simply  that 
something  had  at  last  touched  her.  Was  it  that  long 
journey  we  had  made  together,  sharing  a  common  dan 
ger,  and  ever  beside  each  other  ?  Was  it  the  womanly 
heart  yearning  at  last,  now  when  the  queen  was  in 
safety,  for  some  refuge  for  itself?  I  know  not :  I  can 
only  say  that,  as  I  held  her  hand  at  parting,  the  beau 
tiful  eyes  dwelt  upon  my  face  for  an  instant  with  an 
expression  which  I  could  not  misunderstand,  and  her 
voice  died  away  in  a  sob. 

"Good-by,"  she  murmured,  smiling  through  her 
tears,  and  gazing  at  me  with  blushes  in  her  cheeks. 
"We  may  never  meet  again;  but  I  pray  God  to  bless 
you  and  watch  over  you  ! ' ' 

A  strange,  delicious  thrill  passed  through  my  heart ; 
my  face  flushed.  I  bent  down  and  pressed  my  burn 
ing  lips  to  her  hand.  Before  I  could  speak, — Heaven 
be  thanked  ! — she  had  left  the  apartment ;  and  as  she 
disappeared  I  heard  a  low  sob. 


BOOK  V. 
I. 

ON   THE   BRIDGE    NEAR   HOLMBY   HOUSE. 

I  MADE  my  way  in  safety  across  the  Channel,  and 
reached  the  vicinity  of  Holmby  House  in  Northamp 
tonshire,  where  the  king  was  kept  close  prisoner  by 
the  parliament. 

I  could  see  him  only  by  stratagem ;  and  to  effect  my 
errand  I  saw  no  means  but  to  watch  for  the  king  when 
he  was  out  on  one  of  his  riding-excursions.  An  honest 
woodman,  a  friend  of  the  royal  cause,  who  had  given 
me  refuge  in  his  hut  not  far  from  Holmby  House,  in 
formed  me  of  the  king's  habit ;  and  for  some  days  I 
watched  for  the  opportunity  of  delivering  the  queen's 
missive. 

At  last  it  came.  My  friend  the  woodman  went  to 
Holmby  House  one  morning, — the  great  edifice  was 
visible  through  the  forest, — and  returned  with  the  in 
formation,  derived  from  the  retainers  of  the  palace, 
that  his  majesty  would  ride  out  that  morning  and  pass 
over  the  road  near  the  hut. 

"Take  your  stand  at  the  little  bridge  yonder,  mas- 
(262) 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  263 

ter,"  said  the  woodman,  "  and  when  his  majesty  passes, 
go  up  to  him  as  if  you  wished  to  be  touched  for  the 
king's  evil." 

"  Excellent !"  I  exclaimed.  And  in  truth  the  advice 
was  admirable.  The  belief  that  the  royal  touch  cured 
scrofula  was  then  widely  prevalent :  numbers  flocked  to 
be  cured  wherever  his  majesty  passed  ;  and  I  could  thus 
approach  the  king,  'twas  to  be  hoped,  without  exciting 
suspicion. 

I  hastened  to  take  my  stand  on  the  rustic  bridge 
over  which  the  high-road  passed  ;  and  I  had  not  waited 
ten  minutes  when  the  king  appeared  on  horseback, 
escorted  by  half  a  dozen  troopers.  His  face  was  pale, 
and  he  had  changed  greatly.  All  the  harsh  and  cor 
roding  emotions  which  try  the  human  soul  seemed 
to  have  shaken  his  strength :  the  plowshare  had  fur 
rowed  his  brow  deeply. 

As  he  reached  the  bridge,  his  eye  fell  upon  my  face, 
and  I  saw  that  he  recognized  me  under  my  disguise. 
He  checked  his  horse. 

"You  wish  to  speak  to  me,  I  think,  my  good  man," 
he  said. 

"  Yes,  your  majesty, — to  pray  that  you  will  touch  me 
for  the  king's  evil." 

I  approached,  and,  concealing  the  queen's  letter  in 
my  sleeve,  extended  my  hand,  as  though  to  invite  the 
royal  touch.  The  king  did  likewise ;  but  suddenly  a 
loud  voice  cried, — 

"Hold!    What  is  that?" 

I  turned  and  saw  the  fierce  eyes  of  the  leader  of  the 
troop  fixed  upon  the  letter.  He  was  already  spurring 
forward;  but  in  another  moment  it  was  torn  into  a 


264  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

hundred  pieces,  and  the  fragments  floating  on  the  stream 
beneath. 

I  was  seized,  and  violently  hustled  by  the  troopers. 

"What  letter  was  that?"  cried  the  commander  of 
the  squad. 

"  A  trifle,"  I  replied,  calmly.  "  Beyond  that  I  shall 
say  nothing." 

"  We  shall  see  !"  was  the  threatening  response ;  and, 
ordering  one  of  the  troopers  to  take  me  behind  him, 
the  officer  forced  the  king  to  turn  back.  Half  an  hour 
afterwards  the  whole  party  were  back  at  Holmby 
House. 

I  was  a  prisoner,  and  under  circumstances  which 
rendered  my  fate  rather  menacing ;  but  a  new  incident 
speedily  diverted  attention  from  my  humble  self.  The 
king  had  scarcely  entered  Holmby  House,  and  had 
not  taken  off  his  gloves,  when  the  clatter  of  hoofs  was 
heard  in  the  park;  a  heavy  detachment  of  dragoons 
approached  at  a  gallop,  and  in  the  commander  of  the 
new-comers,  who  wore  the  distinctive  uniform  of  the 
Cromwellian  Independents,  I  recognized  no  less  a  per 
sonage  than  the  tailor  Joyce,  who  had  measured  me 
for  my  Guardsman's  coat  in  Rosemary  Lane  when  I 
first  went  up  from  Cecil  Court  to  London. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  265 


II. 

TAILOR   TURNED   SOLDIER. 

THERE  was  no  mistaking  the  face  or  figure  of  this 
singular  person  who  thus  came  at  a  critical  moment  to 
decide  the  fate  of  the  king.  I  recognized  at  a  glance 
the  important  look,  the  nose  in  the  air,  the  short  figure, 
and  the  free-and-easy  air  of  the  ex-tailor  of  London, 
who  had  dropped  his  civil  garb  for  the  uniform  of  a 
cornet  in  the  Cromwellian  Independents. 

Joyce  rode  straight  up  to  the  great  portal,  dismounted, 
and,  walking  on  the  points  of  his  feet  to  increase  his 
stature,  head  raised  and  nose  elevated  as  before,  gave 
a  thundering  knock. 

' '  Your  pleasure  ?' '  said  the  leader  of  the  troop  which 
had  escorted  the  king,  appearing  at  the  door  and  con 
fronting  Joyce. 

"  To  see  Charles  Stuart,  formerly  King  of  England," 
was  the  reply,  in  a  consequential  voice. 

"  From  whom  do  you  come?" 

"  Where  is  Charles  Stuart  ?" 

"  He  is  not  at  leisure  to  see  you." 

Joyce  turned  to  his  men.    f 

"Attention  !"  he  said.  "  Get  ready  to  fire  through 
this  door!" 

"Are  you  mad?"  cried  the  officer. 

Joyce  quietly  gave  an  order  to  his  men,  and  they 
leveled  their  musquetoons  at  the  door. 

M  23 


266  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"  Hold  !  "  said  the  officer.  "His  majesty  shall  him 
self  decide  whether  he  will  grant  you  an  interview." 

The  officer  closed  the  door  as  he  spoke,  and  ascended 
to  the  apartment  occupied  by  the  king.  Joyce  had 
quietly  walked  up  behind  him,  and  entered  the  room  at 
the  same  moment.  In  his  hand  was  a  cocked  pistol. 

"It  is  hard  to  obtain  audience,  it  seems,  in  this 
house,"  he  said,  consequentially. 

The  king  was  half  indignant,  half  amused,  at  sight 
of  this  unceremonious  personage. 

"Who  are  you?"  he  said. 

"It  is  enough,  sir,  that  you  must  come  with  me," 
was  the  reply. 

"Whither?" 

"To  the  army." 

"  The  army  !     By  what  warrant  ?" 

Joyce  pointed  through  the  window  to  his  men,  drawn 
up,  armed,  and  ready. 

"There  is  my  warrant,"  he  said. 

The  king  smiled,  and  seemed  to  yield  to  the  comedy 
of  the  occasion. 

"  Your  warrant  is  writ  in  fair  characters,  and  legible 
without  spelling,"  he  said.  "But  here  are  the  wor 
shipful  commissioners  of  parliament,  sir.  Be  pleased, 
gentlemen,  to  decide  this  affair,  as  I  am  not  in  a  con 
dition  to  make  my  authority  respected." 

The  grave  commissioners  entered  as  the  king  spoke, 
and  the  foremost  said  to  Joyce,  coldly, — 

"  Have  you  orders  from  parliament  to  carry  away 
the  king?" 

"  No,"  said  Joyce. 

"  From  the  general  ?" 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  267 

"No." 

"By  what  authority,  then,  do  you  come?" 

"  By  my  own  authority." 

The  commissioners  frowned. 

"We  will  write  to  the  parliament  to  know  their 
pleasure,"  said  the  leading  commissioner. 

Joyce  turned  to  the  king. 

"You  will  prepare  to  go  with  me  immediately,  sir," 
he  said. 

"  We  protest  against  this  outrage  !"  came  from  the 
commissioner. 

"  So  be  it ;  and  you  can  write  to  parliament.  Mean 
while,  the  king  must  go  with  me." 

And,  turning  to  the  officer,  he  said, — 

"  If  the  king  has  a  coach,  order  it.  I  will  set  out 
in  half  an  hour." 

Turning  his  back,  the  important  functionary  there 
upon  went  out  of  the  room  and  down-stairs,  where  he 
mounted  again  and  drew  up  his  men  in  order  of  battle. 

A  stormy  discussion  followed ;  but  there  was  no 
means  of  resisting.  The  guard  stationed  at  Holmby 
House  to  watch  the  king  were  seen  laughing  and  talk 
ing  with  Joyce's  men,  their  army  comrades.  The 
commissioners  yielded,  the  king  entered  his  coach, 
and  the  vehicle,  followed  by  the  troop  led  by  Joyce, 
rapidly  rolled  away.  I  had  been  made  prisoner  anew 
by  the  redoubtable  ex-tailor.  Mounted  on  horseback, 
I  trotted  along  scarcely  observed  in  the  party.  Two 
days'  journey  brought  us  to  Cambridge,  and  thence — 
the  people  crowding  along  the  route  to  be  touched  by 
his  majesty  for  the  king's  evil — the  captive  was  con 
ducted  to  Hampton  Court. 


268  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Strange  fate  of  the  fallen  monarch,  to  return  thus  to 
the  scene  of  his  happiness  and  power!  At  Hampton 
Court  he  had  spent  the  serenest  hours  of  his  life.  Here 
he  had  basked  in  the  smiles  of  his  beautiful  queen  and 
shared  the  gambols  of  his  innocent  children  ;  here  he 
had  reigned  a  king,  only  to  return  to  the  place  a  poor 
prisoner,  disarmed  and* doomed  to  destruction! 


III. 

THE   ESCAPE   FROM   HAMPTON   COURT. 

IN  narrating  the  adventures  of  his  majesty  from  this 
time  to  the  end  of  his  career, — adventures  with  which 
I  was  more  or  less  connected,  and  in  which  I  may  be 
said  to  have  borne  a  not  unimportant  part, — I  shall 
occupy  as  little  space  as  possible,  indulge  in  few  notices 
of  public  events,  and  mention  only  the  salient  incidents 
leading  by  a  sort  of  fatality  as  'twere  to  the  window  at 
Whitehall.  I  would  fain  pass  over  all.  But  that  is 
impossible.  At  least  I  shall  narrate  rapidly. 

Joyce,  the  ex-tailor,  was  thus  far  friendly  to  the  king, 
that,  without  asking  any  one's  authority,  he  permitted 
me  to  remain  at  Hampton  Court  and  share  his  maj 
esty's  imprisonment,  under  the  guise  of  private  attend 
ant  or  secretary. 

From  that  moment  I  resolved  to  effect  the  king's 
escape,  if  possible.  I  ventured  upon  every  opportunity 
to  urge  his  majesty  to  attempt  it,  declaring  to  him  my 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  269 

conviction  that  otherwise  his  life  was  in  danger.  His 
choice  lay  between  flying  to  France,  where  he  would 
regain  his  beloved  queen  and  find  a  place  of  safety,  or 
remaining  to  undergo  all  that  the  malice  of  his  bitter 
enemies  might  devise. 

For  months  he  resisted  my  appeals,  which  I  scrupled 
not  to  make  in  season  and  out  of  season.  Finally,  one 
day,  after  a  stormy  and  exciting  interview  with  a  com 
mission  from  parliament,  he  said  to  me, — 

"Your  advice  is  good,  Mr.  Cecil.  This  day's  scene 
has  decided  me  to  leave  Hampton  Court,  if  possible. 
Now  let  us  try  and  devise  some  means." 

These  words  filled  me  with  joy.  I  believed — with 
what  truth  let  events  which  followed  determine — that 
the  king's  life  was  in  danger.  I  said,  therefore,  with 
animation, — 

"Your  majesty  shall  have  it  in  your  power  to  leave 
Hampton  Court  secretly, — to-morrow  night,  if  you  de 
sire.  Leave  the  arrangement  of  all  to  me." 

"  You  have  a  plan  ?" 

"I  have  had  it  for  months,  your  majesty." 

"  And  afterwards?" 

"  France,"  I  said. 

The  king  knit  his  brows. 

"The  King  of  England  a  wretched  fugitive!"  he 
muttered. 

"Or  his  queen  a  widow  and  his  children  fatherless," 
I  said,  briefly. 

He  looked  at  me  with  deep  sadness,  and  said, — 

"Would  that  be  so  great  a  calamity  to  them,  friend? 
All  connected  with  me  is  unfortunate.  But  go :  do 
what  you  will." 

23* 


270  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

This  was  all  I  wanted.  I  saluted  profoundly,  left 
the  apartment,  sauntered  past  the  guard  out  into  the 
park,  where  the  gentlemen  of  the  king's  suite  were 
permitted  to  walk,  and,  finding  myself  out  of  sight  of 
the  sentry,  hastened  down  to  the  bank  of  the  river. 
Here  I  stopped  and  waved  my  hat.  Ten  minutes 
afterwards  a  boat  detached  itself  from  the  opposite 
bank,  and  lazily  crossed,  propelled  by  the  paddle  of  a 
waterman.  The  boat  reached  me.  I  entered,  and  was 
paddled  across.  Five  minutes  after  reaching  the  oppo 
site  bank  I  was  mounted  upon  a  superb  horse,  which 
had  stood  bridled  and  saddled  in  a  shed  attached  to 
the  waterman's  hut,  and  was  going  at  full  speed  towards 
the  south. 

Half  an  hour's  ride  brought  me  to  the  manor-house 
of  Colonel  Edward  Cooke, — the  gentleman  with  the 
fine  stud  of  horses,  to  whom  the  queen  had  written 
when  her  children  were  threatened  at  Oatlands. 

Colonel  Cooke  was  a  warm  loyalist,  and  his  swift 
horses  were  needed  then  to  bear  the  royal  children,  in 
the  event  of  danger,  from  the  country.  They  were 
now  to  be  put  in  requisition  to  effect  the  escape  of  the 
king. 

I  had  long  before  arranged  everything  with  Colonel 
Cooke.  It  was  his  horse  I  bestrode.  And  I  now  saw 
him  advance  quickly  as  I  galloped  up  the  avenue  lead 
ing  to  his  mansion. 

"What  intelligence,  Mr.  Cecil?"  exclaimed  Col 
onel  Cooke,  who  was  a  tall  and  stately  old  cavalier, 
with  a  heavy  mustache  and  royale,  shaggy  eyebrows 
half  concealing  a  pair  of  dark  piercing  eyes,  and  the 
erect  bearing  of  the  thorough  militaire.  "  What  intel- 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  271 

ligence,  I  pray  you  ?  Has  his  majesty  consented  to  go 
with  us?" 

"  He  has  consented,"  I  replied,  with  ardent  feeling. 
And,  leaping  from  my  horse,  I  entered,  and  informed 
Colonel  Cooke  of  my  interview  with  the  king. 

"  Faith  !  his  majesty  decides  in  time,  and  just  in 
time,"  was  the  colonel's  comment.  In  his  glowing 
cheeks  I  read  a  satisfaction  which,  cool  and  reserved 
as  he  was,  the  old  soldier  could  not  conceal.  He  went 
and  poured  out  two  flagons  of  wine. 

"To  our  success!"  he  said.  "And  now  for  our 
arrangements,  Mr.  Cecil.  I  and  my  friends  are  ready. 
His  majesty  shall  bestride  an  animal  fit  for  a  king. 
The  jades  they  ride  yonder  at  Hampton  Court  will  have 
no  showing  !  Come  !  Now  for  every  arrangement !" 

The  plan  was  speedily  agreed  upon.  Colonel  Cooke, 
with  a  party  of  friends,  was  to  be  at  the  waterman's 
hut  the  next  evening  at  sunset,  with  horses  saddled 
and  ready,  and  two  led  horses  for  the  king  and  myself. 
His  majesty  would  then  steal  forth  to  enjoy  the  evening 
air.  The  guard  over  him  had  been  relaxed  recently, 
and  this  would  not  be  hazardous.  The  river's  bank 
would  be  reached,  the  stream  crossed  in  the  boat, 
then  to  horse,  and,  encircled  by  friends,  he  would  fly 
to  France. 

I  left  Colonel  Cooke  with  a  close  grasp  of  the 
hand,  reached  the  river,  was  paddled  over,  and  re 
gained  Hampton  Court  without  having  excited  the 
least  suspicion.  Ten  minutes  afterwards  I  was  alone 
with  his  majesty,  and  told  him  of  the  plan  for  his 
escape. 

"  So  be  it,"  he  said,  calmly.     "  Whither  I  will  bend 


2712  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

my  course  afterwards  may  be  left  to  the  future  to 
decide." 

I  saw  that  the  king  could  not  yet  bring  himself  to 
the  resolution  to  take  refuge  in  France ;  but  to  this  I 
thought  he  must  surely  be  driven.  I  therefore  lost  no 
time  in  combating  his  indecision,  proceeded  to  prepare 
for  the  flight,  and  finally  lay  down  with  a  beating 
heart,  impatient  for  the  morrow. 

That  morrow  dawned,  dragged  on, — never  was  day 
so  sluggish  ! — but  finally  evening  came,  and  the  king 
descended  to  the  hall  of  the  palace,  I  following  him. 

As  he  attempted  to  issue  forth,  the  man  on  guard 
held  his  musquetoon  across  the  doorway. 

"You  cannot  pass,"  he  said,  roughly,  —  for  he  was 
one  of  the  Independents. 

"You  will  surely  surfer  me  to  walk  in  the  park  for 
the  benefit  of  my  health  ?' ' 

"No!" 

The  sound  of  feet  tramping  towards  us  was  heard, 
and  the  guard  saluted.  It  was  a  sergeant,  with  a  new 
sentinel. 

"Sergeant,"  I  said,  "this  man  on  guard  here  bars 
the  way  against  his  majesty,  who  wishes  to  walk  for 
exercise  in  the  park."  f 

"  He  obeys  his  orders,"  was  the  consequential  reply 
of  the  sergeant,  who  was  about  five  feet  in  height. 

"He  was  right,  then,  sergeant,"  I  said,  saluting; 
"but  you,  a  superior  officer,  are  fortunately  here  now. 
Has  his  majesty  your  permission  to  walk  for  half  an 
hour  beneath  the  trees?" 

I  had  conquered  my  man.  "Superior  officer"  and 
"permission"  effected  the  victory. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  273 

"  Hum  !  Well,"  said  the  highly-flattered  small  per 
sonage,  "  if  only  for  half  an  hour.  Orders  are  strict; 
but  I  will  send  an  escort  to  keep  you  in  sight.  Pass!" 

A  moment  afterwards  the  king  and  myself  were  on 
the  lawn,  the  man  just  relieved  from  guard  following 
us  at  a  dist?nce  and  lowering  at  us. 

All  depended  now  upon  giving  the  signal  without 
being  discovered.  I  succeeded  in  doing  so  by  gliding 
behind  a  clump  of  bushes  on  the  bank  of  the  stream. 
I  saw  the  boat  put  off  at  the  signal  and  slowly  paddle 
across,  and  the  king  sauntered,  at  a  sign  from  me, 
towards  a  spot  agreed  upon.  Behind  came  the  guard  : 
it  was  impossible  to  escape  him. 

"Enter  the  boat,  your  majesty,"  I  said,  hurriedly, 
"and  leave  me  to  deal  with  this  man." 

The  king  shook  his  head.  "  I  will  not  desert  you, 
friend.  Come  !  He  can  fire  but  once  upon  us,  and  I 
fear  not  bullets." 

Naught  I  could  say  moved  the  king.  Thus  no  course 
remained  but  to  risk  everything.  We  were  now  at  the 
bank;  the  boat  touched  it.  The  king  leaped  on  board, 
dragging  me  after  him,  and  the  boat  darted  into  the 
stream  again. 

The  sentinel  uttered  a  tremendous  imprecation,  and, 
taking  deliberate  aim,  fired  at  the  king.  The  ball  only 
clipped  a  feather  from  his  hat,  and  there  was  no  more 
danger  now, — from  the  sentinel  at  least.  The  shot 
would  give  the  alarm,  however, — the  troops  would  soon 
hasten  towards  the  bank. 

We  were  not  mistaken.  The  boat  had  not  reached 
the  opposite  shore  when  the  grassy  banks  in  Hamp 
ton  Court  suddenly  swarmed  with  soldiers.  Loud  cries 
II* 


274  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

to  halt  rose  from  the  crowd,  and  a  volley  from  their 
musquetoons  whistled  around  us  as  the  boat  ran  aground. 
The  king's  friends,  headed  by  Colonel  Cooke,  hurried 
down  the  bank  and  bore  the  king  to  shore. 

"There  is  no  time  to  lose  now,  your  majesty,"  said 
the  colonel.  "  Your  horse  is  ready.  I  beseech  you 
hasten  !" 

The  horse,  a  superb  hunter,  was  led  up  quickly, 
and  the  colonel  held  the  king's  stirrup.  His  majesty 
mounted,  and  all  did  likewise.  As  we  did  so,  half  a 
dozen  boats  put  off  from  the  opposite  shore. 

Colonel  Cooke  caught  the  king's  bridle,  exclaim 
ing,— 

"  Come,  your  majesty  !" 

"In  an  instant,  sir,"  was  the  calm  reply.  "  I  would 
take  a  last  farewell  of  my  palace." 

And,  reining  in  his  horse,  he  sat  quietly  for  some 
moments,  gazing  at  Hampton  Court. 

"  'Tis  very  beautiful;  and  I  was  once  very  happy 
there  !"  I  heard  him  murmur. 

He  remained  for  some  moments  gazing  towards  the 
stately  edifice  with  the  same  sad  expression  ;  then  he 
turned  his  horse  slowly,  just  as  the  boats  full  of  soldiery 
touched  the  bank. 

"  Come,  gentlemen!"  he  said. 

And,  striking  the  spurs  into  his  horse,  he  set  out  for 
the  southern  coast.  Behind  him  thundered  the  rest. 
The  spirited  horses  swiftly  bore  their  riders  beyond 
danger.  King  Charles  I.  had  effected  his  escape  from 
Hampton  Court. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  275 


IV. 

CARISBROOKE   CASTLE. 

THE  pages  of  my  memoirs  I  am  now  about  to  trace 
will  contain  a  brief  narrative  of  some  of  the  saddest 
and  most  terrible  events  in  English  history.  Looking 
back  now  in  my  calm  old  age  upon  those  days,  I  seem 
to  see  a  huge  black,  cloud  drooping  low  and  full  of 
mutterings;  and  truly  the  storm  was  about  to  burst  on 
the  head  of  the  unfortunate  king. 

Of  the  events  which  followed  the  escape  of  his  maj 
esty  from  Hampton  Court,  I  shall  present  only  a  rapid 
narrative.  I  have  not  the  heart  to  dwell  upon  all  the 
details.  Again  my  pulse  throbs,  and  the  long  shadows 
of  memory  fall  like  a  pall. 

The  king  and  his  party  of  cavaliers  traveled  at  full 
speed  all  night,  and  at  daybreak  were  received  into  the 
house  of  a  lady  passionately  attached  to  the  royal 
cause.  It  was  necessary,  however,  to  put  more  dis 
tance  between  him  and  his  enemies :  the  king  and  his 
attendants  set  out  again  at  dawn.  At  last  the  frown 
ing  battlements  of  Carisbrooke  Castle,  on  the  Isle 
of  Wight,  rose  before  us,  and  the  murmur  of  the  sea 
indicated  that  the  Channel  was  not  far  distant. 

Now  arose  the  question  what  the  king's  next  course 
should  be.  Should  he  leave  England  and  escape  to 
France?  He  was  obdurately  opposed  to  that.  The 
armies  under  General  Cromwell  and  the  parliament  were 


276  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

wellnigh  at  loggerheads  at  last ;  each  was  manoeuvring, 
it  seemed,  to  compose  matters  first  with  his  majesty  j 
and  the  English  people  had  of  late  exhibited  unmistaka 
ble  indications  of  a  desire  to  throw  overboard  both  army 
and  parliament,  and  restore  the  king,  taught  now,  it  was 
supposed,  discretion  by  his  sufferings  and  misfortunes. 

"I  will  not  go  to  France,"  the  king  said,  reining  in 
his  horse,  which  seemed  intent  on  bearing  him  towards 
the  coast.  "That  is  Carisbrooke  Castle,  is  it  not?" 

"  It  is,  your  majesty,"  returned  Colonel  Cooke. 

"  The  name  of  the  commandant  ?" 

"Hammond,  sire." 

"  Hammond?  Ah,  yes  !  a  relative  of  my  chaplain. 
Go  to  him,  colonel,  take  Mr.  Cecil  with  you,  and  de 
mand  whether  he  is  ready  to  receive  me  as  a  guest,  not 
a  prisoner." 

"But,  your  majesty " 

"Go,  colonel." 

"  It  will  endanger  your  majesty's-safety." 

"  You  need  not  tell  him  where  I  am.  I  will  await 
your  return  in  this  wood." 

There  was  nothing  to  do  but  to  obey;  and  I  went 
with  Colonel  Cooke.  A  short  ride  brought  us  to  the 
gateway  of  the  great  fortress,  as  I  may  call  it,  rather 
than  castle,  and  Colonel  Hammond  speedily  made  his 
appearance.  He  was  a  tall  and  very  stern  man,  with 
one  of  those  secretive  faces  which  express  nothing. 

"Your  pleasure,  gentlemen?"  he  said. 

Colonel  Cooke  gave  him  the  king's  message.  I  saw 
him  start  imperceptibly  almost,  but  in  an  instant  this 
emotion  disappeared. 

"  Where  is  his  majesty?"  he  said,  coolly. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  277 

"That  is  beside  the  question,  sir.  Will  you  receive 
and  protect  him  ?" 

A  brief  pause  ensued. 

"  I  will  go  with  you, — alone.  I  must  see  his  majesty 
before  I  reply." 

"Content,  sir,"  said  Colonel  Cooke,  after  a  mo 
ment's  reflection.  "You  have  only  to  come  with  us, 
and  you  will  be  conducted  to  the  king." 

Ten  minutes  afterwards,  Colonel  Hammond  was 
riding  with  us  towards  the  wood  in  which  the  king 
was  concealed.  I  went  before  my  two  companions. 
As  I  approached  the  king,  he  said, — 

"That  is  Colonel  Hammond,  is  it  not?" 

"Yes,  your  majesty." 

"  Has  he  given  his  written  promise  to  receive  me  as 
his  guest?" 

My  head  sank.  These  simple  words  indicated  the 
extent  of  the  imprudence  of  which  we  had  been  guilty. 

"I  think  your  majesty  may  depend  upon  him  as  a' 
man  of  honor,"  I  said. 

The  king  shook  his  head.  "I  have  lost  my  faith 
in  men,"  he  said,  sadly.  "I  am  Colonel  Hammond's 
prisoner." 

The  words  drove  my  hand  to  my  sword-hilt. 

"It  is  my  fault, — in  part  at  least!  I  will  kill  him!" 
I  exclaimed. 

The  king  raised  his  hand  with  a  gesture  of  royal  dig 
nity.  "  No:  I  am  weary  of  seeing  blood  shed  in  my 
behalf.  Let  there  be  surcease  of  this.  Rather  than 
leave  my  kingdom,  or  be  hunted  like  a  wild  beast  all 
along  the  coast  here,  I  will  put  myself  under  charge  of 
this  officer,  trusting  that  he  will  prove  a  friend." 
24 


278  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 

Colonel  Hammond  had  now  reached  the  spot,  and 
made  the  king  a  low  salute. 

"You  are  Colonel  Hammond?"  said  the  king. 

"I  am,  your  majesty." 

"You  command  at  Carisbrooke  Castle?" 

"Yes,  your  majesty." 

"  I  will  go  thither  with  you,  sir." 

And  the  king  advanced  on  horseback  towards  the 
castle,  whose  ponderous  gates  soon  closed  behind  the 
whole  party.  They  were  not  guests,  but  prisoners. 

On  the  same  evening,  Colonel  Hammond  dispatched 
a  fast-riding  courier  to  London,  to  announce  to  par 
liament  that  King  Charles  I.  was  a  prisoner  at  Caris 
brooke  Castle. 


V. 

EIKON    BASILIKE. 

So  woefully  had  ended  the  hopeful  design  of  bearing 
his  majesty  beyond  the  reach  of  danger.  Once  beyond 
the  walls  of  Hampton  Court,  he  had  been  free.  He 
might  have  taken  refuge  in  the  western  shires,  still 
faithful  to  him,  and  perchance  have  once  more  found 
an  army  flock  to  his  standard ;  or  he  might  have  em 
barked  for  France,  escaped  the  hostile  cruisers,  and 
rejoined  his  beloved  queen.  All  this  was  possible  on 
the  day  of  his  departure  from  Hampton  Court.  Now 
it  was  a  dream  :  the  prey  was  in  the  clutch  of  the  furious 
huntsmen. 

The  outward  signs  of  respect  from  Colonel  Hammond 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  279 

and  the  garrison  only  added  to  the  bitterness  of  the 
king's  imprisonment.  A  cautious  game  was  evidently 
going  on.  This  human  being  might  some  day  be  the 
master  again.  He  never  appeared,  accordingly,  upon 
the  battlements  but  the  sentinel  saluted  ;  Colonel  Ham 
mond  ever  doffed  his  hat  and  inclined  profoundly  upon 
entering  his  majesty's  presence.  I,  in  common  with  the 
other  members  of  the  king's  party,  was  treated  as  a  guest 
rather  than  a  prisoner.  The  future  was  too  doubtful  to 
render  harshness  prudent. 

Nevertheless,  the  king's  health  and  spirits  rapidly 
failed  him.  Day  by  day  life  seemed  dying  out  from 
the  worn  frame,  as  hope  disappeared.  He  grew  thin 
and  gray.  His  face  was  covered  with  an  unsightly 
beard.  He  neglected  his  dress,  grew  older  and  sadder 
hour  by  hour,  and  would  wander  to  and  fro  with  his 
eyes  fixed  upon  the  ground,  or,  sighing,  would  gaze 
towards  France. 

One  day  I  saw  him  standing  on  the  battlements, 
looking  in  the  direction  of  the  French  coast,  and  hold 
ing  in  his  hand  a  half-folded  paper.  He  turned  his 
head,  and,  seeing  me,  motioned  to  me  to  approach. 

"Would  I  had  followed  your  advice,  my  friend," 
he  said,  "  and  sought  refuge  in  France.  I  could  have 
done  so,  perchance.  'Tis  impossible  now." 

His  head  sank,  and  he  remained  silent  for  a  moment. 

"  This  letter  is  from " 

His  voice  died  away,  and  his  lips  trembled. 

"She  has  begged  the  people  in  London,  she  writes 
me,  to  accord  her  permission  to  come  to  me.  She  went 
only  at  my  bidding ;  she  would  return  now,  like  a  good 
wife,  when  the  dark  hour  has  come  upon  her  husband." 


28o  HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN. 

"And  they  have  refused,  your  majesty?" 

"They  have  refused  !" 

A  deep  groan  issued  from  the  king's  lips.  He  turned 
his  face  towards  France  again  ;  his  thin  hands  were 
clasped  for  a  moment ;  and  then,  turning  away,  he 
slowly  went  to  his  chamber. 

When  I  attended  him  there,  an  hour  afterwards, — for 
I  shared  with  his  grace  the  Duke  of  Richmond  the 
duties  of  groom  of  the  chamber, — I  found  him  writing. 

"  See,"  he  said,  raising  the  sheet,  "  I  am  writing  my 
last  will  and  testament,  friend.  I  strive  herein  to  show 
my  subjects  my  inmost  heart.  In  this  'Eikon  Basilike,' 
as  I  call  it,  naught  is  concealed." 

He  sighed,  and  added, — 

"  Shall  I  read  you  the  words  I  have  just  written  ? 
'  I  am  content  to  be  tossed,  weather-beaten,  and  ship 
wrecked,  so  that  she  be  safe  in  harbor.  I  enjoy  this 
comfort  in  her  safety,  in  the  midst  of  my  personal 
dangers.  I  can  perish  but  half  if  she  be  preserved. 
In  her  memory,  and  in  her  children,  I  may  yet  survive 
the  malice  of  my  enemies,  although  they  should  at  last 
be  satiate  with  my  blood.'  " 

The  king  replaced  the  paper  upon  the  table,  clasped 
his  hands  and  leaned  them  upon  it ;  and  upon  the  hands 
thus  clasped  his  forehead  drooped  slowly,  his  long 
gray  hair  falling  around  the  emaciated  cheeks  and 
concealing  them. 

In  presence  of  this  immense  sorrow  I  could  say 
nothing  and  offer  no  condolence.  There  was  some 
thing  terrible  as  well  as  heart-rending  in  this  royal 
despair;  and,  without  speaking,  I  turned  to  leave  the 
apartment. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  281 

As  I  approached  the  door,  I  saw  a  man  standing 
without  and  gazing  at  the  king.  This  was  one  Osborne, 
appointed  by  Colonel  Hammond  to  attend  the  king. 

As  I  came  out,  he  made  me  a  sign  that  I  should  fol 
low  him ;  and  I  did  so. 


VI. 

THE   PLAN    OF   ESCAPE. 

OSBORNE  went  on  until  he  reached  a  retired  nook, 
and  then,  stopping  suddenly,  said,  in  a  low  tone, — 

"You  are  the  king's  friend,  I  think,  Mr.  Cecil?" 

"  His  faithful  friend,  I  hope,  sir,  as  I  trust  you  are." 

"  I  am,"  was  his  reply.  "  I  was  not,  a  month  ago  ; 
but  his  majesty's  looks  haunt  my  sleep.  They  are 
going  to  try  and  murder  him.  He  must  escape." 

I  looked  at  the  speaker  keenly. 

"  I  know  what  you  mean,"  he  said.  "  You  distrust 
me — well.  But  I  am  the  king's  friend.  I  slipped  a 
note  into  his  glove  two  days  since,  offering  to  risk  my 
life  to  secure  his  escape ;  but  he  has  not  spoken  to  me. 
I  know  not  if  he  received  it." 

"Your  plan  ?"  I  said. 

"  Listen,  sir.  There  is  a  certain  Major  Rolfe  in  the 
garrison  here, — a  wretch  bent  on  earning  blood-money. 
He  proposed  to  me  to  entice  the  king  to  attempt  an 
escape  from  this  place.  Files  and  a  rope-ladder  were 
to  be  supplied.  The  king  was  to  descend  from  his 
window  and  escape  from  the  castle.  Then  Rolfe,  with 
others,  lying  in  wait,  was  to  assassinate  him." 
24* 


282  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

I  listened  with  attention. 

"And  your  plan,  Mr.  Osborne?" 

"To  conspire  against  the  conspirators,  to  get  the 
king  out  of  the  castle,  and  cut  the  throats,  if  necessary, 
of  Rolfe  and  his  gang." 

I  reflected  for  a  moment  with  all  the  power  of  my 
brain.  Had  Osborne  the  design  which  he  attributed 
to  Rolfe,  or  was  this  man  a  true  friend  of  the  king  ? 

"You  would  be  ready  to  receive  his  majesty  when 
he  descended  by  the  ladder?"  I  said. 

"Yes." 

"  I  will  be  at  liberty  to  take  part  ?" 

"Assuredly." 

"To  stand  beside  you?" 

He  looked  at  me  with  firm  eyes. 

"I  understand.  Yes.  Stay!  you  are  unarmed. 
Here  is  a  dagger  which  you  may  plunge  into  my  heart, 
if  you  have  reason  to  believe  in  my  treachery." 

I  took  the  weapon  and  placed  it  in  my  breast,  looking 
fixedly  at  the  speaker. 

"I  accept  your  offer,"  I  said,  "and  will  go  imme 
diately  and  apprise  his  majesty." 

I  left  Osborne,  went  to  the  king's  chamber,  and 
informed  him  of  the  plot.  He  shook  his  head. 

"It  will  fail,"  he  said,  "or  I  will  end  my  life  in  a 
midnight  brawl  in  this  corner  of  my  kingdom.  I  do 
not  wish  to  die  thus.  I  would  perish  in  public,  before 
the  eyes  of  the  whole  world." 

I  combated  this  resolution  with  all  my  powers,  and 
the  king,  enfeebled  by  sickness  and  sorrow,  began  to 
waver. 

"  The  one  your  majesty  loves  best  in  all  the  world 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  283 

awaits  you  yonder,"  I  added,  extending  my  hand 
towards  France. 

His  face  flushed.  "  Enough  !  you  have  conquered 
me,"  he  murmured.  "  Go.  I  will  do  as  you  wish." 

I  hastened  from  the  apartment,  and  obtained  a  second 
private  interview  with  Osborne. 

"The  king  consents,"  I  said.  "And  now  to  ar 
range  all ! "  . 

The  arrangements  were  speedily  made.  Files  were 
to  be  supplied  me,  with  which  I  would  file  through  the 
iron  bars  of  the  king's  window;  a  rope-ladder  was 
ready,  procured  by  Osborne  for  the  purpose.  Once  the 
obstructions  were  removed,  his  majesty  could  descend 
by  it,  the  key  of  a  postern  in  the  outer  wall  had  been 
obtained,  and  Charles  I.  would  be  free. 

"Rolfe  will  know  of  but  a  part  of  the  plan,"  Os 
borne  said;  "and  we  are  playing  a  dangerous  game. 
But  it  must  be  risked.  Now  I  will  go  and  gain  over 
some  men  whom  I  think  we  may  count  upon.  If  all 
is  ready,  the  attempt  will  be  made  at  midnight,  two 
nights  from  this  time." 

With  these  words  we  parted. 

On  the  second  night  thereafter,  all  was  ready  for  the 
hazardous  undertaking.  I  had  passed  the  preceding 
night  in  hard  work  on  the  iron  bars,  which  I  attacked 
with  a  file  dipped  from  time  to  time  in  grease  to  dull 
the  grating  sound.  This  occupation  lasted  for  eight 
hours.  At  the  end  of  that  time  the  bars  hung  by  a 
thread.  I  announced  the  fact  to  his  majesty,  who  had 
fallen  into  a  feverish  sleep  on  his  couch  ;  and,  as  I  had 
managed  to  convey  the  rope-ladder  of  fine  twisted 
hemp  to  his  chamber  unperceived,  all  was  ready. 


284  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

Midnight  came  at  last.  The  night  was  dark ;  and  this 
favored  the  dangerous  scheme.  A  chill  wind  whistled 
drearily  around  the  battlements  of  the  great  castle,  and 
from  beneath  came  the  long  dash  of  the  waves  against 
the  base  of  the  cliffs. 

"The  moment  has  come,  sire,"  I  said,  in  a  low  voice. 
"Be  firm  and  fearless." 

The  king  smiled  sadly.  "Feel  my  pulse,  friend," 
he  said,  extending  his  hand.  "  The  Stuarts  are  unfor 
tunate,  but  they  are  at  least  brave.  This  will  fail ;  but 
I  fear  nothing.  Is  all  ready?" 

"Yes,  your  majesty. " 

"  Osborne  and  his  friends  are  beneath?" 

"As  well  as  Rolfe  and  his  party;  but  ours  out 
number  them  greatly." 

"Then  all,  I  see,  is  ready.  You  will  descend  after 
me " 

"A  moment,  your  majesty.  I  will  remove  the  bars 
and  attach  the  ladder;  then  I  will  simply  go  out  of  that 
door  yonder  and  join  the  party  below." 

"Join  the  party?" 

"  Yes,  your  majesty." 

"  You  cannot :   the  sentinel." 

"I  am  allowed  to  pass  about:  it  is  only  your  maj 
esty  that  is  guarded." 

"But  why  not  descend  by  the  ladder?" 

"  I  have  an  arrangement  with  Osborne,  and  will  see 
that  Rolfe  is  a  party  to  it." 

"  What  arrangement  ?" 

"To  bury  this  dagger  in  his  heart, — in  the  hearts 
of  both, — if  they  have  betrayed  you  !" 

The  king  extended  his  hand,  as  a  man  does  to  grasp 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  285 

that  of  a  friend.  I  took  the  hand  and  kissed  it.  Then 
I  rapidly  drew  out  the  bars,  saw  that  a  confused  group 
awaited  below,  affixed  the  ladder,  and  turned  for  the 
last  time  to  the  king. 

"  Your  majesty  is  not  fearful  of  growing  dizzy  ?" 

"  No  :  my  nerves  are  perfectly  firm." 

"The  descent  is  considerable." 

"  It  is  nothing, — since  France  and  my  wife  are  at 
the  foot  of  the  ladder." 

' '  Then  may  God  guard  your  majesty  ! ' ' 

As  I  spoke,  I  opened  the  door;  but  suddenly  I 
recoiled.  The  corridor  was  full  of  armed  men,  at  the 
head  of  whom  advanced  Colonel  Hammond. 

"I  have  come  to  save  your  majesty  a  dangerous 
essay,"  he  said,  coldly.  "Your  plan  of  escape  has 
been  discovered,  and  Osborne  is  already  under  arrest. 
To-morrow  he  will  be  hanged  and  quartered." 

The  speaker  inclined  stiffly. 

"Place  two  men  beneath  the  window  there,"  he 
added,  to  a  sergeant,  "and  a  regular  guard,  to  be  re 
lieved  every  two  hours,  in  this  corridor.  The  parlia 
ment  will  decide  the  rest." 


VII. 

THE   HOUR   AT   LAST. 


THREE  days  afterwards, — days  passed  by  myself  as  a 
captive  in  the  same  room  with  the  king, — Colonel  Ham 
mond  made  his  reappearance. 

"Your   majesty  will  be  released   from   further  im- 


286  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

prisonment  in  this  apartment,"  he  said,  stiffly.  "I 
am  directed  to  announce  so  much  by  the  parliament, 
who  will  send  further  orders.  If  agreeable  to  your 
majesty,  you  may  now  descend  to'dinner,  which  is  pre 
pared  in  the  great  hall." 

The  king  inclined  coldly,  and  was  about  to  decline. 

"I  pray  your  majesty  to  descend,"  I  said.  "Your 
health  fails  from  confinement." 

The  sad  smile,  now  habitual  with  him,  came  to  his 
lips. 

"Content,"  he  said;  "but  you  use  but  feeble  rea 
soning,  friend." 

I  assisted  him  to  make  his  toilet,  and  he  descended  to 
the  great  banqueting-hall  of  the  castle,  where  a  crowd 
of  persons  had  assembled,  as  was  customary  then,  to  see 
the  king  dine. 

The  king  had  no  sooner  taken  his  seat  than  the  com 
pany  were  startled  by  a  sudden  apparition.  .  This  was 
a  solemn,  funereal,  and  cadaverous  personage,  clad  in 
black,  but  wearing  a  military  belt  and  scarf,  who  stalked 
into  the  hall,  posted  himself  opposite  the  king,  and 
fixed  his  eyes  upon  him  in  sombre  silence.  The  king 
gazed  at  this  strange  person  with  undisguised  surprise, 
but,  finding  that  he  was  apparently  dumb  and  might  be 
deaf,  did  not  address  him :  the  whole  meal  passing  in 
silence. 

As  the  king  rose,  I  approached  the  funereal  per 
sonage. 

"Your  name,  if  I  may  ask,  sir?"  I  said. 

"Isaac  Ewer,  an  unworthy  follower  of  the  godly 
cause. ' ' 

"Colonel  Ewer,  I  think." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  287 

"  I  am  so  called." 

"Your  object?" 

"I  am  come  to  fetch  away  Hammond  to-night." 

These  words  dissipated  all  doubt.  This  singular 
personage,  representing  the  "Independents"  of  the 
army,  had  come  to  order  away  Hammond,  who  repre 
sented  the  parliament.  From  this  moment  it  was  ob 
vious  that  Charles  I.  had  ceased  to  be  the  prisoner  of 
the  civil  power,  and  had  become  the  prize  of  the  mili 
tary.  The  full  significance  of  the  change  may  be  stated 
in  a  few  words  :  the  name  of  Isaac  Ewer  appears  among 
the  regicides. 

This  man  had  just  uttered  the  words  I  have  recorded, 
and  Colonel  Hammond  had  started  up,  as  though  deter 
mined  to  resist  this  summary  order  from  the  military 
authorities,  when  I  heard  a  familiar  voice  near  me, 
and,  turning  my  head,  saw  Colonel  Cooke.  How  this 
faithful  friend  of  the  king  gained  access  to  the  castle  I 
never  discovered.  He  had  been  released  months  be 
fore,  and  had  passed  from  my  mind  ;  but  I  afterwards 
knew  that  he  had  kept  watch  over  the  king  and  laid 
many  plans  to  effect  his  escape. 

Colonel  Cooke  now  approached  the  king  hurriedly, 
and  said  to  him,  in  the  midst  of  the  confusion, — 

"  Your  majesty  must  attempt  to  escape." 

"  To  escape?" 

"At  once,"  he  replied,  quickly.  "The  army  has  a 
plan  for  seizing  you  immediately.  This  must  be  pre 
vented.  _A11  the  preparations  are  made.  We  have 
horses  all  ready  here,  concealed  in  a  pent-house.  A 
vessel  is  at  the  Cowes  waiting  for  us.  We  are  prepared 
to  attend  you." 


288  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

The  king  turned  pale. 

"No,"  he  said.  "I  have  given  my  word  to  Ham 
mond  and  the  House  that  I  would  make  no  further  such 
attempts.  They  have  promised  me,  and  I  have  prom 
ised  them ;  and  I  will  not  be  the  first  to  break  promise." 

"Your  majesty  means  by  they  and  them  the  parlia 
ment?" 

"Yes." 

"  They  have  no  power  to  protect  you  !  You  are  a 
dead  man  if For  God's  sake,  your  majesty,  con 
sent!" 

The  face  of  the  speaker  flushed. 

"  For  the  queen  and  your  children's  sake  !" 

The  king  shook. 

"No,  I  cannot:  do  not  tempt  me  !"  he  murmured. 
"  My  honor  of  gentleman  alone  is  left  to  me  !" 

A  thundering  knock  was  heard  at  the  door  as  the 
king  uttered  these  words,  and  a  file  of  soldiers  entered, 
in  front  of  whom  advanced,  with  heavy  tramp,  two  or 
three  sombre-visaged  officers. 

They  went  straight  to  the  king. 

"You  must  come  with  us,"  said  one  of  them. 

"Who  may  you  be?"  the  king  asked. 

"  Officers  from  the  army.     Come  !" 

"Whither?" 

"To  the  castle." 

"  *  The  Castle"  is  no  castle  !  I  am  prepared  for  any 
castle,  but  tell  me  the  name." 

"Hurst  Castle." 

"Indeed  !"  the  king  said,  calmly.  "You  could  not 
have  named  a  worse." 

In   truth,  the  selection  of  that   gloomy  fortress,   a 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  289 

species  of  dungeon,  fitted  for  murder,  seemed  an 
ominous  indication  of  the  designs  of  the  king's  captors. 
It  stood  on  a  desolate  promontory,  approached  from 
the  Isle  of  Wight  by  a  narrow  causeway;  and  an  hour 
afterwards  the  king  was  conducted  thither. 

In  this  sombre  keep  he  was  immured  now,  and  I  con 
fess  my  heart  sank.  I  had  remained  with  his  majesty, 
along  with  others,  and  experienced  very  great  solicitude 
for  his  safety.  Everything  now  seemed  to  depend  upon 
the  result  of  the  struggle  between  the  army  and  parlia 
ment.  The  latter  was  known  to  embrace  a  number  of 
prominent  persons  who  favored  the  king's  release :  if 
the  army  were  overthrown,  the  king,  thus,  would  be 
saved. 

One  morning  came  intelligence  that  the  army  under 
General  Cromwell  had  crushed  the  parliament.  Soon 
afterwards  the  rattling  chains  of  the  drawbridge  were 
heard  as  the  ponderous  mass  fell..  The  emissary  of  the 
army  had  come  to  conduct  Charles  I.  to  Windsor 
Castle. 

He  was  conducted  thither.  A  month  passed  :  I  had 
begun  to  dream  of  happier  times  for  this  poor  husband 
and  father,  so  long  the  sport  of  his  enemies,  when,  on 
the  1 5th  of  January,  1648,  a  squadron  of  horse  appeared 
and  escorted  the  king  to  London. 

The  hour  had  come. 


290  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


VIII. 

THE   SCENE   AT  WESTMINSTER   HALL. 

I  HAVE  shrunk  from  dwelling  at  length  upon  the  days 
passed  by  the  king  at  Carisbrooke  and  Hurst  Castles ; 
for  a  stronger  reason  still,  I  shall  pass  hastily  over  the 
last  scenes  of  the  tragedy,  the  memory  of  which  still 
affects  me  profoundly. 

This  human  being,  now  approaching  death,  had  his 
weaknesses,  his  prejudices, — committed  crimes  more 
than  once, — claimed  prerogatives  inconsistent  with  the 
liberties  of  England ;  but  he  had  suffered,  had  grown 
gray  in  prison,  and  all  the  glory  of  royalty  had  been 
stripped  from  him,  and  now  his  enemies,  in  an  evil  hour 
for  them,  were  going  to  commit  the  blunder  of  making 
a  martyr  of  him  by  putting  him  to  death. 

The  forms  were  speedily  gone  through  with.  From 
Windsor  Castle,  where  he  had  enjoyed  a  brief  season 
of  tranquillity,  not  divested  of  hope,  he  was  taken  in  his 
coach,  under  an  escort  of  troopers  with  drawn  pistols, 
to  St.  James's  Palace  in  London,  where  hisjreatment 
at  once  indicated  that  his  fate  was  sealed. 

I  had  remained  with  him,  as  had  his  grace  the  Duke 
of  Richmond,  his  faithful  Herbert,  and  other  friends. 
We  were  mercifully  permitted  to  share  his  last  hours ; 
and  the  terrible  details  of  these  hours  are  here  recorded 
briefly. 

It  soon  became  known  to  us  that  the  military  power 


HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN.  291 

was  completely  in  the  ascendency.  General  Cromwell, 
its  head,  proceeded  to  turn  out  of  parliament  all  op 
posed  to  the  fatal  resolution  at  last  reached.  The  king 
was  transferred  to  a  wing  of  Edward  the  Conqueror's 
Palace ;  and  speedily  came  the  order  that  he  should 
be  brought  to  Westminster  Hall  for  trial. 

It  was  a  dark  and  chill  morning  in  January  when 
the  order  came.  The  king  rose  calmly,  put  on  his  hat, 
took  his  cane  and  gloves,  and  bowed  to  the  officer 
bearing  the  order. 

"  I  am  ready,  sir,"  he  said. 

The  officer  did  not  return  the  salute.  The  days  of 
royalty,  and  the  respect  due  it,  had  passed  away  now. 
The  officer  simply  pointed  to  the  door. 

The  king  went  out,  and  found  himself  in  face  of  a 
body  of  armed  men,  who  gazed  at  him,  some  with 
lowering  faces,  others  with  undisguised  pity  and  com 
passion. 

"Forward,  to  Westminster  Hall!"  the  officer  com 
manded  ;  and  the  troop  moved,  escorting  the  king, 
who  walked  in  the  midst.  I  was  near  him,  and  went 
-on  in  a  dream,  as  'twere.  The  fatal  pageant  affected 
me  as  men  are  affected  by  things  seen  in  sleep. 

All  at  once,  as  the  procession  moved  along,  I  heard, 
from  a  window  above,  the  hoarse  words, — 

"  Here  he  is  !  here  he  is  !" 

I  looked  up.  The  king  was  passing  the  "  Painted 
Chamber;"  and  the  hoarse  speaker  was  General 
Cromwell.  For  the  third  time  in  my  life  I  saw  this 
terrible  man: — first  in  Buckinghamshire,  at  Mr.  Hatnp- 
den's,  a  shuffling,  absent-looking  countryman  ;  again 
at  Naseby,  a  cold  and  immovable  statue  on  horseback ; 


29 2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

now  a  judge,  pale  and  purple  by  turns,  looking  upon 
his  victim. 

I  heard  afterwards  that  he  and  others  had  met  here 
to  see  the  king  pass,  and  that  General  Cromwell,  after 
uttering  the  words  above  recorded,  added  to  Marten, 
one  of  his  associates, — 

"The  hour  of  the  great  affair  approaches.  Decide 
speedily  what  answer  you  will  give  him;  for  he  will 
immediately  ask  by  what  authority  you  pretend  to  judge 
him." 

"  In  the  name  of  the  Commons  assembled  in  parlia 
ment,"  Marten  replied,  ironically,  "and  of  all  the 
good  people  of  England." 

The  purlieus  of  Westminster  Hall  were  nearly  choked 
with  troops.  These,  too,  seemed  divided  between  bit 
ter  enmity  and  compassion.  Many  of  the  citizens  had 
mingled  with  the  soldiery,  and  cried  aloud,  as  the  king 
came, — 

"  God  save  your  majesty  !" 

The  soldiers  did  not  suppress  this  cry ;  and  the  fact 
seemed  to  enrage  their  commander,  Colonel  Axtel. 
Suddenly  the  tall  form  of  that  officer  advanced,  the 
dark  face  full  of  anger.  This  sentiment  became  fury 
when  some  of  the  soldiers,  whose  backs  were  turned  to 
him,  shouted,  compassionately, — 

"Justice !  justice !" 

With  a  cane  which  he  held  in  his  hand,  Colonel 
Axtel  struck  them  vigorously  over  the  shoulders ;  and 
the  men  who  had  just  clamored  for  justice  to  the 
captive  now  shouted  as  loudly, — 

"  Execution  !  execution  !" 

The  king  entered  Westminster  Hall  in  the  midst  of 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  293 

his  guard.  Behind  came  the  procession  of  his  judges, 
with  the  sword  and  mace  borne  before  them. 

The  king  sat  down,  keeping  his  hat  upon  his  head, 
and  looked  around  him  with  calm  and  even  curious 
eyes.  His  bearing  was  composed,  and  his  eyes  seemed 
to  express  a  grave  wonder  at  the  scene.  He  was  ye1 
thin  and  pale,  and  the  curls  beneath  his  beaver  ^re 
silvered  with  gray. 

The  judges  took  their  seats  above  him,  and  the  cere 
mony  began.  An  advocate  rose,  and  began  to  read 
from  a  paper  which  he  held  in  his  hand  that  the  king 
was  "  indicted  in  the  name  of  the  Commons  assembled, 
and  the  people  of  England." 

The  king  interrupted  him  here  with  some  words 
which  I  did  not  hear.  The  advocate  scowled  at  him, 
but  continued  to  read;  whereupon  the  king  extended 
his  slight  cane,  and  touched  him  with  the  gold  head 
upon  the  shoulder.  The  head  detached  itself  from 
the  cane,  rolled  on  the  floor,  distinctly  heard  in  the 
profound  silence ;  and  the  whole  assembly,  wound 
to  the  highest  pitch  of  nervous  excitement,  rose  in 
mass. 

"God  save  your  majesty!  God  save  the  king!" 
rose  from  the  crowd  of  people  in  the  hall. 

Scuffling  succeeded :  the  troops,  under  direction  of 
their  officers,  were  buffeting  and  hustling  the  malcon 
tents.  The  advocate's  voice,  loud  and  monotonous, 
resumed  the  indictment.  It  was  finished;  and  Mr. 
Bradshaw,  who  presided,  demanded  of  the  king  what 
his  plea  was, — guilty  or  not  guilty  of  the  crimes  laid 
to  his  charge. 

"I  make  no  plea.  I  deny  the  authority  of  this 
25* 


294  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

court,  though  not  the  power,"  the  king  replied. 
"  There  are  many  illegal  powers,  as  those  of  high 
waymen  and  bandits.  The  Commons  agreed  to  a 
treaty  of  peace  with  me  when  at  Carisbrooke,  and 
since  that  time  I  have  been  hurried  from  place  to  place. 
Where  are  the  just  privileges  of  the  House  of  Com 
mons?  Where  are  the  Lords?  I  see  none  present. 
And  where  is  the  king?  Call  you  this  bringing  a  king 
to  his  parliament  ?" 

Bradshaw  scowled,  retorting  in  some  violent  words, 
and  a  discussion  ensued.  The  court  promised  to  break 
up  in  the  midst  of  a  brawl, — perhaps  a  conflict  be 
tween  army  and  citizens.  It  was  hastily  adjourned, 
therefore  ;  and  the  king  was  reconducted  to  his  prison, 
the  people  shouting,  as  he  passed, — 

' '  God  bless  your  majesty !  God  save  you  from 
your  enemies !" 

The  first  scene  of  the  first  act  had  thus  been  played. 
The  rest  followed  rapidly,  and  the  catastrophe  was 
at  hand. 

The  king  was  again  and  again  brought  before  his 
judges.  He  resolutely  refused,  however,  to  acknowl 
edge  the  competency  of  the  tribunal ;  and  it  was  plain 
that  violent  measures  would  be  called  for.  These 
were  adopted.  The  king's  enemies  had  gone  too  far 
to  recede  :  their  own  safety  absolutely  required  that 
his  blood  should  be  shed. 

All  was  resolved  upon  at  last;  and  for  the  fourth 
time  his  majesty  was  conducted  to  Westminster  Hall. 

Bradshaw  had  already  taken  his  seat,  and  wore  a  red 
dress.  The  fact  was  ominous,  and  the  proceedings 
were  brief. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  295 

"Read  the  list  of  members  of  the  court,"  growled 
the  president,  Bradshaw. 

The  clerk  began  to  read.  At  the  name  of  "Fair 
fax,"  a  voice  from  the  gallery  cried, — 

"  Fairfax  has  too  much  wit  to  be  here  to-day !" 

All  eyes  were  raised.  The  voice  was  seen  to  have 
issued  from  a  group  of  ladies  who  attended  as  spec 
tators. 

Colonel  Axtel,  commanding  the  soldiery,  shouted, 
with  fury,— 

"Present  pieces! — fire! — fire  into  the  box  where 
she  sits!" 

As  he  spoke,  one  of  the  ladies  rose,  in  the  centre 
of  the  group.  For  a  moment  she  remained  motionless, 
looking  down  with  great  scorn  upon  the  rough  faces  of 
the  troops,  who  were  confusedly  raising  their  musque- 
toons.  She  then  slowly  went  out  of  the  gallery ;  and 
I  heard  from  the  crowd  around  me, — 

"  'Tis  Lady  Fairfax !     They  dare  not  harm  her  !" 

The  reading  of  the  list  proceeded.  At  the  name 
of  Cromwell  a  new  tumult  rose. 

"Oliver  Cromwell  is  a  rogue  and  a  traitor!"  cried 
a  second  voice  from  the  gallery. 

Axtel  raged ;  but  the  president  made  a  gesture,  and 
the  reading  proceeded.  The  clerk  concluded  by  de 
claring  that  the  king  was  "called  to  answer  by  the 
people  before  the  Commons  of  England  assembled  in 
parliament." 

"  'Tis  false !"  shouted  the  voice  in  the  gallery  ;  "  not 
one  half-quarter  of  them  ! ' ' 

At  this  renewed  interruption  and  open  defiance, 
Colonel  Axtel  seemed  ready  to  lose  his  head.  He 


296  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

foamed  with  rage,  and  shook  his  clenched  hand  towards 
the  spot  from  which  the  voice  had  issued,  shouting, 
''Fire!  fire  on  them  !" 

Bradshaw  again  interposed.  Silence  was  obtained  ; 
but  a  more  important  interruption  was  to  come. 

The  president  began  to  pass  sentence. 

"  I  demand,"  said  the  king,  "  that  the  whole  of  the 
members  of  the  House  of  Commons,  and  such  lords 
as  are  in  England,  shall  assemble  to  hear  the  sentence 
about  to  be  pronounced  upon  me." 

Bradshaw  frowned  angrily,  and  was  about  to  proceed 
without  noticing  this  protest,  when  one  of  the  court 
started  to  his  feet  in  great  agitation  and  with  tears  on 
his  cheeks. 

"  Have  we  hearts  of  stone?"  he  exclaimed.  "Are 
we  men?" 

"You  will  ruin  us,  and  yourself  too  !"  came  in  a 
hoarse  undertone  from  those  near  the  speaker,  whom 
they  violently  attempted  to  hold  in  his  seat. 

"If  I  were  to  die  for  it !"  was  the  renewed  protest. 

Cromwell,  who  sat  just  beneath,  turned  and  looked 
at  the  speaker  with  lowering  eyes. 

"  Colonel  Downes,"  he  said,  sternly,  in  his  deep 
voice,  "are  you  mad?" 

"No!" 

"Can't  you  sit  still?" 

"  No  !     I  cannot  and  I  will  not  sit  still !" 

He  broke  from  those  attempting  to  hold  him  down. 

"I  move,"  he  exclaimed,  "  that  we  adjourn  to  de 
liberate  ! ' ' 

Cromwell  rose  in  a  rage,  and  his  eyes  seemed  to  dart 
lightning  as  he  looked  at  Downes. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  297 

"  You  wish  to  save  your  old  master !"  he  said,  in  a 
storm  of  wrath;  "but  make  an  end  of  this,  and  return 
to  your  duty !" 

Cries  and  confused  voices  were  heard,  however, 
throughout  the  great  hall ;  and,  doubtless  reflecting 
that  nothing  would  be  lost  thereby,  the  court  de 
termined  to  retire  to  deliberate.  They  went  out  at  a 
side  door,  and  remained  absent  for  about  half  an  hour ; 
then  they  reappeared,  defiling  in,  stern,  silent,  and 
ominous. 

Bradshaw  took  his  seat  in  the  midst  of  cries  of 
wrath,  pity,  and  horror  from  the  crowd,  where  Axtel 
exerted  himself  to  obtain  silence. 

In  the  midst  of  this  silence,  sentence  was  passed 
upon  the  king. 

He  listened  without  a  word,  and,  at  the  termination 
of  the  sentence,  rose  and  put  on  his  gloves.  Axtel 
advanced  and  motioned  to  him.  He  obeyed  the  order 
of  the  man  who  now  stood  in  the  place  of  the  heads 
man,  passed  through  the  crowd  of  furious  soldiery, 
who  puffed  the  smoke  of  their  pipes  in  his  face,  spat 
upon  him,  and  yelled,  "Justice!  execution!"  in  his 
ears,  and,  entering  his  sedan-chair, — a  luxury  still 
permitted  him, — was  borne  back  to  his  place  of  im 
prisonment,  a  man  condemned  to  die. 

As  he  disappeared,  a  great  cry  rose  above  the  crowd, 
struck  with  awe  and  horror. 

This  cry  was, — 

"  God  help  and  save  your  majesty  !  God  keep  you 
from  your  enemies  !" 

One  of  the  soldiers,  even,  joined  in  this  cry,  and  was 
seen  to  do  so  by  an  officer,  who  felled  him  with  .one 

N* 


298  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

blow.    This  took  place  as  the  king  passed.    He  looked 
at  the  unfortunate  man  with  a  smile  of  sad  pity. 

"Poor  fellow  !"  he  murmured,  sighing:  "  'tis  a  heavy 
blow  for  so  small  an  offense  ! ' ' 


IX. 

THE   HAMMERING. 

THE  terrible  comedy  of  the  king's  trial  had  been 
played  at  Westminster :  the  tragedy  in  front  of  White 
hall  was  to  follow  it  speedily. 

Of  those  days  which  passed  between  the  king's  sen 
tence  and  execution  I  have  no  strength  to  speak.  I 
was  near  him,  with  other  friends,  and  was  witness  to  a 
calmness  and  dignity  worthy  of  a  brave  man  and  a 
monarch.  The  king's  nerves  were  unshaken  :  he  pre 
pared  for  his  end  with  august  composure ;  and  when 
he  was  informed  that  the  people  in  power  had  con 
sented  to  permit  him  to  see  his  two  children  before  his 
death,  a  smile  of  joy  lit  up  the  pale  and  emaciated  face. 

This  intelligence  was  brought  to  him  on  the  night 
before  his  execution.  He  was  writing  at  the  instant, 
and  laid  down  his  pen  to  clasp  his  hands  in  deep  grati 
tude,  raising  his  eyes,  as  he  did  so,  to  heaven. 

As  the  messenger  disappeared,  he  turned  to  the 
friends  around  him,  and  said,  with  a  smile, — 

"  'Tis  not  forbidden  a  poor  king  in  captivity  to 
make  verses,  my  friends :  I  have  thus  employed  myself 


HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN.  399 

after  writing  my  last  adieus  to  one  from  whom  I  am 
severed, — one  very  dear  to  me." 

He  took  up  the  sheet  upon  which  he  had  been  writing. 
As  he  did  so,  a  sudden  hammering  began  in  front  of 
Whitehall.  I  shuddered ;  for  I  knew  that  'twas  the 
workmen  erecting  the  scaffold. 

"What  is  that?"  the  king  asked,  turning  his  head, 
and  listening. 

No  one  replied.  The  sound  of  hammers  continued. 
Suddenly  the  king's  cheeks  filled  with  blood. 

"  I  understand  now.  God's  will  be  done  !"  he  mur 
mured.  "  But  this  shall  not  fright  me  !" 

The  smile  came  back  to  his  face,  and  he  said, — 

"Will  you  hear  one  or  two  of  my  poor  verses?" 

In  the  midst  of  sobs,  he  then  read  these  verses : — 

"  The  fiercest  furies  which  do  daily  tread 
Upon  my  grief — my  gray  discrowned  head — 
Are  those  who  to  my  bounty  owe  their  bread. 

"  Yet,  sacred  Saviour,  with  thy  words  I  woo 
Thee  to  forgive,  and  not  be  bitter  to 
Such  (as  thou  knowest)  know  not  what  they  do. 

"  Augment  my  patience,  nullify  my  hate, 
Preserve  my  children,  and  inspire  my  mate, 
Yet,  though  we  perish,  bless  this  Church  and  State !" 

As  he  finished  reading  these  words,  the  door  opened, 
and  Bishop  Juxon  appeared,  his  face  pale,  his  bosom 
heaving.  As  he  approached,  the  old  prelate's  equa 
nimity  gave  way,  and  he  began  to  sob  violently. 

The  king  raised  his  hand  calmly,  with  a  gesture  of 
kindness. 

"  Compose  yourself,  my  lord,"  he  said  to  the  bishop. 


300  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"We  have  no  time  to  waste  on  grief:  let  us  rather 
think  of  the  great  matter.  I  must  prepare  to  appear 
before  God,  to  whom  in  a  few  hours  I  have  to  render 
my  account.  I  hope  to  meet  death  with  calmness,  and 
that  you  will  have  the  goodness  to  render  me  your 
assistance.  Do  not  let  us  speak  of  the  men  into  whose 
hands  I  have  fallen.  They  thir'st  for  my  blood  :  they 
shall  have  it.  God's  will  be  done  !  I  give  him  thanks. 
I  forgive  them  all  sincerely ;  but  let  us  say  no  more 
about  them." 

A  harsh  growl  at  the  door  was  heard.  The  sentinels, 
guarding  the  king  night  and  day  now,  had  opened  the 
door,  and  expressed  by  the  growl  their  disgust  at  the 
supposed  hypocrisy  of  the  king. 

The  weeping  bishop  motioned  them  away. 

"  Suffer  us,  my  friends,"  he  said. 

And,  as  though  these  mild  and  faltering  words  had 
affected  even  the  rough  natures  of  the  sentinels,  they 
closed  the  door  with  a  crash. 

The  king  then  knelt  and  prayed  long  and  devoutly. 
As  he  rose  from  his  knees,  he  turned  his  head  quickly. 
His  face  beamed  with  joy. 

"What  has  your  majesty  heard?"  the  bishop  said. 

"  I  know  not  if  I  have  heard  them,  but  'tis  the  feet 
of  my  children  !" 

Footsteps  approached  along  the  corridor,  and  reached 
the  door :  it  was  opened,  and  the  little  Princess  Eliza 
beth,  a  girl  of  about  twelve,  and  the  Duke  of  Gloucester, 
still  younger,  ran  forward  into  their  father's  arms. 

The  children  had  burst  into  passionate  tears;  but 
there  were  no  tears  in  the  eyes  o£  the  king.  A  delight 
beyond  words  shone  in  his  pale  face. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  301 

"My  little  ones!"  he  murmured,  covering  their 
faces  with  kisses.  "  Thank  God,  they  have  permitted 
you  to  come  to  me  !  Oh,  yes,  yes  !  now  I  forgive  them 
from  my  heart !" 

Some  moments  passed  in  those  half-inarticulate  ex 
clamations,  mingled  with  caresses,  which  are  so  touch 
ing, — above  all  in  a  father  embracing  his  children  for 
the  last  time  on  earth.  The  children  sobbed  and  held 
him  closely.  He  never  seemed  weary  of  caressing  and 
kissing  them. 

At  last  he  grew  more  composed,  and  his  countenance 
assumed  an  expression  of  solemn  gravity. 

''Sweet-heart,"  he  said,  to  the  little  princess,  "do  not 
forget  what  I  tell  thee.  I  wish  you  not  to  grieve  and  tor 
ment  yourself  for  me ;  for  it  is  a  glorious  death  I  shall  die', 
for  the  laws  and  religion  of  the  land.  I  have  forgiven 
all  my  enemies,  and  I  hope  God  will  forgive  them  ;  and 
you  and  your  brothers  and  sisters  must  forgive  them  also. ' ' 

He  paused,  and  I  saw  an  expression  of  deep  tender 
ness  come  to  his  eyes. 

"You  will  see  your  mother,  sweet-heart,"  he  said. 
"Tell  her  that  my  thoughts  have  never  strayed  from 
her, — that  my  love  for  her  remains  the  same  to  the  last. 
Love  her,  be  obedient  to  her,  and  do  not  grieve  for 
me  :  I  die  a  martyr." 

Nothing  was  heard  in  the  deep  silence  which  followed 
these  words  but  the  sobs  and  broken  words  of  the  little 
princess  promising  to  obey  these  last  commands  of  her 
father. 

The  king  raised  his  hand  and  passed  it  across  his 
eyes.  He  then  turned  to  the  little  Duke  of  Gloucester, 
and,  placing  his  arm  around  him,  drew  him  upon  his  knee. 

26 


302  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

"My  child,"  he  said,  "I  wish  you  to  heed  what 
your  father  now  says  to  you.  They  will  cut  off  my 
head,  and  perhaps  make  thee  a  king;  but  you  must  not 
be  a  king  so  long  as  your  brothers  Charles  and  James 
live.  I  therefore  charge  you,  do  not  be  made  a  king 
by  them." 

The  child's  face  flushed  suddenly,  and  he  looked  at 
the  king  with  a  flash  of  the  eyes  shining  through  his  tears. 

"I  will  be  torn  in  pieces  first !"  he  exclaimed. 

The  king's  face  glowed. 

"That  is  spoken  like  my  son!"  he  said.  "You 
rejoice  me  exceedingly !" 

He  bestowed  a  warm  embrace  upon  the  child,  then, 
drawing  the  princess  towards  him,  clasped  both  to  his 
bosom. 

As  he  did  so,  the  ominous  sound  of  the  hammers  in 
front  of  Whitehall  broke  in.  The  king  sobbed,  nearly 
unmanned,  and  covered  the  children's  faces  with  kisses. 
As  he  did  so,  the  guard  advanced  to  remove  them,  and 
Bishop  Juxon  groaned. 

The  king  raised  his  head.  "  Oh,  'tis  pitiful !  Do 
not  take  them  from  me  !"  he  exclaimed. 

The  guard  drew  nearer,  stern  and  unmoved.  The 
hammering  was  heard  through  the  open  door. 

The  king  saw  that  the  hour  had  come.  With  heav 
ing  bosom,  he  placed  his  hands  on  the  heads  of  the 
children  and  blessed  them.  They  sobbed  passionately 
as  the  guard  took  them  away ;  and  the  king  rose  to  his 
feet  and  turned  aside  to  hide  his  tears.  A  window 
looked  upon  the  court.  He  went  to  it,  to  see  the  last 
of  them,  if  possible,  and,  leaning  his  face  against  the 
frame-work,  sobbed  aloud. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  303 

The  children  were  passing  through  the  door  now,  in 
charge  of  the  guard,  when  all  at  once  the  king  turned 
and  hastened  to  them  in  an  agony  of  weeping.  Clasp 
ing  them  for  the  last  time  in  his  arms,  he  covered  them 
with  kisses  and  caresses,  called  upon  God  to  bless  them, 
and,  releasing  them,  staggered  rather  than  walked  back 
to  his  seat,  into  which  he  fell,  concealing  his  face  in 
his  hands. 

The  hammering  from  the  front  of  Whitehall  had 
never  ceased. 


X. 

THE   WALK  TO   WHITEHALL. 

AT  midnight  the  king,  after  performing  his  devo 
tions,  lay  down,  and  was  soon  asleep.  All  had  retired 
but  his  attendant  Herbert  and  myself,  who  had  been 
commanded  to  remain. 

The  king  had  given  me  both  a  letter  and  messages 
for  the  queen.  I  was  to  convey  these  to  her  majesty 
after  witnessing  the  king's  last  hours,  of  which  I  was 
to  give  her  a  detailed  account. 

I  lay  down  on  a  pallet, — Herbert  occupying  another, 
— but  could  not  sleep.  The  terrible  events  occurring 
around  me  excited  my  nerves  and  drove  away  my 
slumbers.  Providence  had  decreed  that  I  should  thus 
witness  the  last  moments  of  a  condemned  king,  should 
be  beside  him  and  lose  no  detail  of  the  tragedy.  All 


304  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

had  passed  before  me ;  I  was  to  be  present  to  the  end ; 
and  the  thought  of  what  would  take  place  on  the 
morrow  banished  sleep. 

The  night  thus  passed,  the  chamber  lit  only  by  a 
large  taper  which  burned  in  the  centre  of  a  silver  basin. 
Long  shadows,  funereal  and  ominous,  fell  upon  the 
walls :  nothing  was  heard  but  the  quiet  breathing  of 
the  king,  who  had  for  the  time  lost  all  consciousness 
of  his  misfortunes. 

About  daybreak  I  was  startled,  however,  by  a  deep 
groan  from  the  pallet  occupied  by  Herbert,  the  king's 
attendant.  I  looked  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
and  saw  that  the  sleeper  was  tossing  to  and  fro,  the 
victim,  it  seemed,  of  some  painful  dream.  Suddenly 
I  saw  the  king  rise  on  his  elbow. 

"Herbert!"  he  called;  and  the  faithful  attendant 
at  once  awoke. 

"  What  is  the  matter?"  said  the  king.  "  You  groan 
fearfully  in  your  sleep  ! ' ' 

Herbert  passed  his  hand  across  his  brow,  as  though 
he  were  confused. 

"I  have  been  dreaming,  your  majesty,"  he  stam 
mered. 

"  Tell  me  your  dream,"  came  from  the  king. 

Herbert  sighed,  and  said, — 

"  I  dreamed,  your  majesty,  that  Archbishop  Laud,  in 
his  pontifical  robes,  entered  this  apartment  and  knelt 
before  your  majesty,  who  looked  at  him  with  a  pensive 
expression  of  countenance.  Conversation  then  took 
place  between  the  archbishop  and  your  majesty ;  he 
sighed  deeply,  seemed  in  pain  ;  then  the  talk  ended ; 
he  inclined  before  your  majesty,  and  was  going  towards 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  305 

the  door  again,  when  suddenly  he  fell  prostrate  on  the 
floor." 

The  king  had  listened  without  interrupting  the 
speaker.  He  now  remained  an  instant  buried  in  re 
flection. 

"Your  dream  is  remarkable,  Herbert,"  he  said,  at 
length,  in  a  pensive  tone.  "But  the  archbishop  is  dead." 

He  paused  again  for  a  moment. 

"  Had  I  conferred  with  the  archbishop,"  he  added, 
"it  is  possible,  albeit  I  loved  him  well,  that  I  might 
have  said  somewhat  which  would  have  caused  his  sigh." 

As  he  spoke,  the  king  threw  aside  the  coverlet. 

"I  will  now  rise,"  he  said.  "I  have  a  great  work 
to  do  this  day." 

He  seated  himself,  and  motioned  to  Herbert  to  dress 
his  hair.  The  attendant  obeyed,  but  his  hand  trem 
bled,  as  though  from  cold, — the  fire  in  the  apartment 
having  died  out. 

"Nay,"  the  king  said,  calmly,  "though  my  head 
be  not  to  stand  long  on  my  shoulders,  take  the  same 
pains  with  it  that  you  were  wont  to  do.  This  is  my 
second  marriage-day,  Herbert." 

Herbert  obeyed  with  trembling  hands,  and  I  ob 
served  the  king  shiver. 

"  'Tis  very  cold,"  he  said.  "  Give  me  an  additional 
shirt.  The  weather  may  make  me  shake ;  and  I  would 
have  no  imputation  of  fear.  Death  is  not  terrible  to 
me.  I  bless  my  God  I  am  prepared." 

As  he  spoke,  Bishop  Juxon  entered,  his  face  pale  and 
woe-begone. 

"Welcome,  my  lord,"  the  king  said.  "Will  you 
pray  with  me  ?' ' 

26* 


306  If£X   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

The  bishop  knelt  down,  and  in  a  faltering  voice 
uttered  a  fervent  prayer,  which  the  king  listened  to, 
kneeling  also  devoutly.  He  then  resumed  his  seat; 
and  the  bishop  read  from  the  Gospel  of  St.  Matthew. 

"  Did  you  choose  this  chapter,  my  lord,  as  applicable 
to  my  situation?"  asked  the  king,  when  he  had  ended. 

"It  is  the  gospel  of  the  day,  as  the  calendar  indi 
cates,  your  majesty,"  replied  the  bishop. 

The  king's  face  exhibited  great  emotion.  The  chap 
ter  read  by  the  bishop  was  that  which  gives  an  account 
of  the  trial,  condemnation,  and  execution  of  our  Sa 
viour.  A  strange  chance — if  there  be  any  chance — 
had  made  it  the  regular  gospel  of  the  day,  in  accord 
ance  with  the  calendar.  The  king  resumed  a  moment 
afterwards  his  kneeling  position.  I  could  see  his  lips 
moving.  A  deep  silence — the  silence  of  prayer  and 
pity — reigned  in  the  apartment. 

The  king  had  just  risen,  when  the  door  opened,  and 
the  guard  appeared. 

"I  am  ready,"  he  said,  calmly. 

And,  placing  his  hat  upon  his  head,  he  descended  the 
staircase  into  St.  James's  Park.  The  path  to  Whitehall 
was  lined  with  ten  companies  of  infantry.  In  front  of 
the  king  moved  a  detachment  of  halberdiers,  with  drums 
beating  and  colors  flying. 

The  king  walked  on  slowly,  exhibiting  no  emotion 
of  any  description, — on  his  right  the  good  bishop,  on 
his  left  Colonel  Tomlinson,  of  the  army,  and  myself. 
The  king  was  absolutely  composed,  the  soldier  full  of 
compassion  for  him.  This  sentiment  was  so  plain  that 
his  majesty  observed  it,  and,  taking  a  gold  etui  which 
he  wore,  said, — 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  307 

"  I  beg  you  will  accept  this,  sir,  as  a  token  of  remem 
brance,  and  that  you  will  not  leave  me  until  all  is  over." 

The  soldier  bowed  his  head,  and  took  the  gift  with 
deep  em'otion. 

"I  will  observe  your  majesty's  command,"  he  said. 
"  Dare  I  ask  your  majesty  if  there  be  any  truth  in  what 
I  conceive  to  be  a  terrible  slander  concerning  you?" 

"Ask  your  question,  my  friend." 

"  Did  you^  majesty  concur  with  the  Duke  of  Buck 
ingham  in  causing  your  late  father's  death?" 

The  king's  face  assumed  a  smile  of  pity. 

"My  friend,"  he  said,  "if  I  had  no  other  sin  than 
that,  God  knows  I  should  have  little  need  to  beg  his 
forgiveness  at  this  hour." 

"Then " 

The  reply  was  not  finished.  A  sudden  roar  from  the 
drums  interrupted  it.  They  were  near  Whitehall,  and 
the  king  said  to  the  guard, — 

"Come  on,  my  good  fellows:  step  apace." 

And,  pointing  to  a  tree,  he  added,  to  Bishop  Juxon, — 

"  That  tree  was  planted  by  my  brother  Henry." 

These  trifles  all  engraved  themselves  indelibly  upon 
my  memory.  If  they  are  otherwise  unimportant,  they 
still  indicate  the  king's  calmness. 

He  had  now  reached  the  flight  of  stairs  which  leads 
from  the  park  into  Whitehall.  As  he  entered  the 
palace,  Colonel  Tomlinson  said, — 

"  Here  are  two  Independent  ministers,  your  majesty, 
who  offer  their  spiritual  aid  and  prayers." 

The  king  paused,  but  replied,  almost  immediately, — 

"  Say  to  them  frankly  that  they  have  so  often  prayed 
against  me  that  they  shall  not  pray  with  me  in  my 


308  HER    MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

agony ;  but  if  they  will  pray  for  me  now,  tell  them 
that  I  shall  be  thankful." 

As  he  spoke,  the  king  turned  to  me,  and  held  out 
his  hand. 

"I  must  leave  you  now,  friend,"  he  said.  "You 
must  not  go  with  me  to  the  scaffold.  You  have  my 
last  request.  Convey  the  letter  you  wot  of;  tell  her 
to  whom  'tis  addressed  that  she  was  in  my  heart  to  the 
last ;  and  may  God  bless  and  keep  you,  5s  my  faithful 
friend,  always!" 

I  could  make  no  reply,  but,  falling  upon  my  knees, 
pressed  the  king's  hand  to  my  lips,  with  sobs. 

A  moment  afterwards  he  had  disappeared  within  the 
palace. 


XI. 

THE    EXECUTION. 

I  HASTENED  to  the  front  of  the  palace,  where  rose, 
grim  and  threatening,  the  scaffold  with  its  block,  upon 
which  the  execution  was  to  take  place. 

A  frightful  dream,  rather  than  a  series  of  real  events, 
seemed  playing  before  me,  and  I  could  scarce  collect 
my  thoughts  or  reason  upon  the  situation.  A  great 
crowd  blocked  up  the  street,  of  mingled  soldiery  and 
civilians.  Round  hats  and  gleaming  arms  were  mixed 
together  in  enormous  confusion ;  and  through  the 
mighty  multitude  awaiting  the  terrible  scene  ran  a  low, 
vague  murmur,  like  the  sound  of  waves  before  they  are 
lashed  to  fury  in  a  tempest. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  309 

I' staggered  on,  rather  than  walked,  and  almost  by 
main  force  made  a  path  through  the  mass  towards 
the  scaffold.  More  than  once  I  came  near  becoming 
engaged  in  a  personal  collision  from  my  urgency.  A 
soldier  whom  I  had  thrust  aside  aimed  a  savage  blow 
at  me  with  his  halberd,  and  a  burly  ruffian  into  whose 
ribs  I  struck  my  elbow  overwhelmed  me  with  blasphe 
mous  curses.  I  disregarded  all,  however,  and,  thanks 
to  my  persistence,  reached  a  position  near  the  scaffold. 

The  crowd  was  agitated,  and  many  faces  were  pale. 

"  Poor  king  !"  said  a  woman, — for  there  were  many 
in  the  mass ; — "see!  they  have  driven  iron  staples  in 
the  scaffold,  to  chain  him  down  if  he  resists  !" 

"Poor  heart!"  came  in  response;  but  with  these 
pitying  exclamations  mingled  hoarse  shouts  of  "  Exe 
cution  !  execution  !" 

I  was  now  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  scaffold. 
My  head  was  turning,  wellnigh,  at  thought  of  the 
coming  spectacle ;  but  in  the  midst  of  this  confused 
dream,  as  'twere,  rose  clear  and  vivid  the  thought, 
" Who  will  act  as  executioner?"  Gregory  Brandon, 
the  official  headsman,  had  fled  from  London,  and  would 
not  strike  off  the  king's  head  if  they  found  him.  Who 
would?  To  volunteer  was  too  infamous  for  the  most 
infamous.  It  might  be  that  no  Englishman  could  be 
found  who  would  act  as  headsman  ! 

A  fearful  commentary  upon  this  desperate  hope  was 
speedily  presented.  The  crowd  surged  to  and  fro  ;  a 
path  was  made  through  the  compact  mass ;  and  through 
this  opening  advanced  two  figures,  from  whom  the  most 
brutal  shrank  back. 

The  figures  were  clad  in  a  close  woolen  garb,  then 


3 io  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

peculiar  to  butchers.  One  wore  a  long  gray  peruke, 
beard,  and  black  mask;  the  other  a  black  peruke  and 
mask,  and  a  black  hat  whose  heavy  flap  was  caught  up 
in  front.  Something  peculiar  in  the  walk  of  this  latter 
proved  that  it  was  Gregory  Brandon.  But  who  was  the 
personage  in  the  gray  beard  ? 

The  men  mounted  the  scaffold  in  the  midst  of  loud 
cries.  Then  all  became  silent.  Through  a  window  in 
front  of  the  palace,  the  king  walked  straight  to  the  scaf 
fold,  accompanied  only  by  Bishop  Juxon  and  Herbert. 
As  he  reached  it,  I  saw  the  figure  taken  for  that  of 
Gregory  Brandon  kneel  to  him.  I  pushed  nearer,  and 
came  within  hearing  just  as  the  king  turned  quickly,  see 
ing  some  one  touch  the  headman's  axe,  exclaiming, — 

"  Have  a  care  of  the  axe  !  If  the  edge  is  spoiled, 
'twill  be  the  worse  for  me  !" 

Meanwhile  the  headsman  had  remained  upon  his 
knees.  He  now  said,  in  a  muffled  voice, — the  voice 
of  Gregory  Brandon, — 

"  I  entreat  your  majesty's  forgiveness  for  performing 
this  terrible  duty." 

The  king  shook  his  head. 

"  No,"  he  said:  "  I  forgive  no  subject  of  mine  who 
comes  deliberately  to  shed  my  blood  !" 

The  headsman  groaned,  and  I  saw  a  shudder  pass 
through  his  frame.*  He  rose,  and,  with  head  bowed 
upon  his  breast,  awaited. 

*  Sir  Henry  Ellis  records  that  Gregory  Brandon,  dragged  unwill 
ingly  to  execute  the  king,  pined  away  for  want  of  the  forgiveness 
refused  him,  and  died  less  than  two  years  afterwards,  declaring  that 
"  he  always  saw  the  king  as  he  appeared  on  the  scaffold,  and  that, 
withal,  devils  did  tear  him  on  his  death-bed." — EDITOR. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  3n 

The  king  had  turned  away,  and  uttered  a  few  words 
to  Bishop  Juxon.  He  then  raised  the  long  locks  of 
gray  hair  flowing  upon  his  neck,  and  said  to  the 
headsman, — 

"  Is  any  of  my  hair  in  the  way  ?" 

"  I  beg  your  majesty  to  push  it  more  under  your 
cap,"  came  in  muffled  tones  from  the  black  mask, 
whose  wearer  bowed  low. 

In  observing  this  ceremony,  Bishop  Juxon  assisted 
his  majesty. 

"  There  is  but  one  stage  more,  your  majesty,"  faltered 
the  good  bishop,  "  which,  though  turbulent  and  trouble 
some,  is  yet  a  short  one.  Consider:  it  will  carry  you 
a  great  way, — even  from  earth  to  heaven." 

The  king  inclined  his  head. 

"  I  go  from  a  corruptible  to  an  incorruptible  crown," 
he  said,  "where  no  disturbance  can  take  place." 

As  he  uttered  these  calm  words,  the  king  threw  off 
his  cloak,  and  gave  his  George  to  the  bishop,  with  the 
single  word,  "Remember!"  He  then  removed  his 
coat,  resumed  the  cloak,  and,  pointing  to  the  block, 
said  to  the  headsman, — 

"  Place  it  so  that  it  will  not  shake." 

"It  is  firm,"  came  from  the  headsman,  who  shud 
dered  so  that  he  could  scarce  hold  the  axe. 

"  I  shall  say  a  short  prayer,"  the  king  said,  as  calmly 
as  before.  "When  I  hold  out  my  hand,  thus, — strike." 

The  king  stood  for  a  moment  with  closed  eyes,  his 
lips  moving  in  prayer.  Then  he  raised  his  eyes  to 
heaven,  knelt,  and  placed  his  head  upon  the  block; 
and  the  headsman,  with  a  single  blow,  severed  his  head 
from  his  body. 


3i2  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

As  the  head  rolled  upon  the  scaffold,  and  the  body 
recoiled  from  the  block,  a  cry  burst  from  the  vast 
crowd, — shouts  and  weeping  mingled. 

Above  the  mass,  thus  agitated  and  moving  to  and 
fro,  rose  the  scaffold,  where  the  gray  headsman,  the 
associate  of  the  wretched  Brandon,  held  up  the  drip 
ping  head  of  the  king,  crying, — 

"  This  is  the  head  of  a  traitor !" 


XII. 

SO    WENT   THE    KING   WHITE   TO   HIS   GRAVE. 

I  LEFT  the  scene  of  the  king's  execution,  staggering 
in  my  gait  like  a  drunken  man,  and  for  hours  there 
after  wandered  about  London,  the  prey  to  a  species  of 
nightmare  which  chilled  and  fevered  me  by  turns.  All 
objects  which  my  dull  eyes  rested  upon  seemed  unreal, 
like  the  shapes  seen  in  dreams.  I  scarce  knew  where 
I  was ;  could  see  nothing  but  that  one  fearful  group  on 
the  terrible  platform  in  front  of  Whitehall. 

Night  fell,  and  still  I  went  to  and  fro  like  one 
who  has  lost  his  way.  Then,  I  know  not  how,  I  found 
myself  again  in  the  neighborhood  of  Whitehall.  The 
streets  were  deserted;  the  great,  crowd  had  vanished: 
save  the  light  in  a  window  on  the  ground-floor  of  the 
palace,  I  saw  no  evidence  that  London  was  not  a  city 
of  the  dead. 

Towards  the  light  a  strange  attraction  drew  me. 
Without  any  definite  design,  I  went  to  the  great  door 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  313 

of  the  palace  :  it  was  open.  The  hall  was  deserted.  I 
entered,  approached  the  door  of  the  apartment  from 
which  the  light  shone,  and,  reaching  the  threshold,  saw 
before  me  a  singular  spectacle. 

In  a  coffin,  covered  with  black  velvet,  lay  the  body 
of  Charles  I.,  the  head  replaced  in  its  natural  position, 
the  lips  wearing  a  sweet  smile. 

Beside  it  stood  three  persons,  and  in  shadow  at  one 
corner  of  the  room  were  a  number  of  stern-faced  hal 
berd-bearers.,  erect  and  motionless  as  statues. 

The  three  persons  were  Colonel  Axtel,  dark,  sombre, 
and  sullen;  Sir  Purbeck  Temple,  a  friend  of  the  king, 
whom  I  knew  well  and  at  once  recognized  ;  the  third 
personage  was  the  now  terrible  General  Cromwell. 

General  Cromwell  was  standing  beside  the  coffin, 
with  his  back  turned  to  me;  and  I  could  not  see  his 
face.  His  left  hand  was  placed  beneath  his  right  elbow ; 
the  other  hand  supported  his  chin.  As  I  reached  the 
threshold,  Sir  Purbeck  Temple  had  drawn  near  to  the 
coffin,  and  was  looking  at  the  king's  face  with  half- 
suppressed  sobs. 

"My  poor  master!"  he  exclaimed;  "and  this  is 
all  that  is  left  of  thee!" 

"  Did  you  expect  to  find  him  alive,"  growled  Axtel, 
"  after  the  blow  of  the  axe?" 

Sir  Purbeck  was  silent  for  an  instant.  Then  he 
faltered, — 

"  I  know  not  what  I  expected,  sir.  But  I  have  read 
that  a  species  of  divinity  and  holiness  hedges  a 
king! " 

He  could  say  no  more.  Axtel  growled :  the  word 
best  describes  the  sound  he  uttered.  He  extended  his 
o  27 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

hand  towards  the  body;  a  smile  of  contempt  curled 
his  sullen  lips,  and  he  said,  with  a  heavy  frown, — 

"  If  thou  thinkest  there  is  any  holiness  in  kingship, 
look  there  !" 

Sir  Purbeck  Temple  made  no  reply.  I  could  see  the 
tears  on  his  cheeks. 

General  Cromwell  had  meanwhile  remained  silent 
and  motionless,  gazing  at  the  body,  as  he  afterwards 
gazed  at  the  king's  portrait, — hiding  his  secret  thoughts. 

Suddenly  he  moved  and  drew  near  the  coffin.  For 
an  instant  he  paused  again.  Then,  reaching  out  his 
hand,  he  raised  the  head  of  the  corpse,  looked  at  it, 
and  at  the  body,  and  said,  in  his  deep  voice, — 

"This  was  a  well-constituted  frame,  and  promised 
long  life!" 

As  he  uttered  these  words  he  replaced  the  head  in 
the  coffin,  turned  away,  passed  by  me  slowly,  without 
appearing  to  be  aware  of  my  presence,  and  went  out 
of  the  door  of  the  palace. 

In  my  turn  I  approached  the  coffin,  and  gazed  long 
at  the  king.  His  lips  were  smiling :  he  had  died, 
plainly,  forgiving  all  his  enemies.  I  bent  down  and 
pressed  a  last  kiss  on  the  thin  hand.  A  growl  from 
Axtel,  and  a  harsh  order  to  leave  the  apartment,  fol 
lowed.  I  left  the  room  and  the  palace,  and  was  again 
in  the  streets, — seeing  nothing,  as  I  went  on,  but  the 
cold  face  and  the  smile  of  the  king. 

Let  me  finish  the  gloomy  record. 

The  body  of  Charles  I.  was  conveyed  to  St.  James's 
Palace,  where  it  was  embalmed.  It  was  then  taken  to 
Windsor  Castle,  Cromwell  having  refused  sepulture  for 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  315 

the  king  in  Westminster  Abbey ;  and  at  Windsor  it  was 
committed  to  the  earth.  The  pall-bearers  were  the 
Duke  of  Richmond,  the  Earl  of  Hertford,  and  the 
Lords  Lindsay  and  Southampton.  As  the  coffin  cov 
ered  with  black  velvet  was  borne  from  the  hall, — the 
only  inscription  upon  it,  "  Carolus  Rex,  1648,"  cut 
with  a  penknife, — the  snow  began  to  fall  slowly  and 
tranquilly,  as  though  it  mourned  the  dead  man. 

By  the  time  it  reached  the  chapel,  the  pall  of  black 
velvet  was  entirely  white. 

"So  went  our  king  white  to  his  grave!"  said  his 
weeping  pall-bearers. 

Not  even  the  burial-service  of  the  Church  had  been 
permitted  to  be  read  over  the  king's  grave. 


XIII. 

AN    OLD    CAVALIER   OF   THE   KING. 

I  MIGHT  here  terminate  my  memoirs :  the  great  epic 
is  finished,  and  the  curtain  has  fallen  on  the  tragedy. 
But  some  incidents  remain  to  be  narrated,  which  refer 
to  my  personal  fortunes;  and  my  children,  if  no  others, 
will  like  to  hear  of  these  incidents  and  of  what  marked 
my  last  days  in  England. 

On  the  night  of  the  scene  at  Whitehall,  I  wandered 
about  London,  laboring  under  a  sort  of  stupor  of  grief 
and  despair.  A  new  blow  was,  however,  -coming.  Fate 
had  not  exhausted  her  malice. 

I  had  entered  a  low  tavern,  worn  out  and  seeking  a 


316  HER  MAJESTY  THE   QUEEN. 

spot  to  rest.  On  the  rude  table,  covered  with  beer- 
stains,  lay  a  newspaper,  which  I  took  up  mechanically. 
As  my  eye  fell  upon  it,  I  saw  my  father's  name ;  and 
as  I  read,  my  heart  sank  within  me.  The  paper  gave 
a  list  of  estates  belonging  to  royalists,  which  had  been 
confiscated.  Ceeil  Court  was  among  them,  and  the 
name  of  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  opposite  indicated  that  the 
estate  had  been  conveyed  to  him. 

This  intelligence  came  near  to  unman  me.  Then 
my  dear  and  honored  father  would  be  turned  adrift, 
homeless,  in  his  old  age  !  The  sworn  foe  of  our  family 
had  wreaked  his  utmost  vengeance  upon  us !  The 
coarse  Sir  Jervas  Ireton  would  rule  in  the  ancient  home 
of  the  Cecils ! 

I  rose,  my  head  turning,  nearly.  Whither  should  I 
go  ?  To  France,  leaving  this  blow  to  fall  upon  my 
father?  I  could  not:  I  must  first  see  him.  But  how 
to  get  to  Warwickshire?  I  had  no  horse:  was  penni 
less.  I  went  out  of  the  tavern  with  a  fire  burning  in 
my  brain,  and  tottered  rather  than  walked  along  the 
deserted  streets. 

I  was  going  along  thus,  the  prey  of  a  despair  which 
I  could  not  resist,  when,  just  as  I  passed  beneath  a 
swinging  lamp,  I  heard  the  clatter  of  hoofs.  They 
drew  nearer.  I  raised  my  head,  the  light  shone  upon 
my  face,  and  I  heard  my  name  uttered. 

A  moment  afterwards,  a  cavalier,  whose  horse's  hoofs 
had  made  the  clatter,  stopped  near  me,  threw  himself 
from  the  saddle,  and  passed  his  arm  around  me. 

"Cecil,  you  are  ill !"  he  exclaimed. 

The  light  fell  upon  the  speaker,  and  I  recognized 
Colonel  Edward  Cooke. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  3:7 

"What  mean  you  by  wandering  through  the  streets 
at  this  hour,  friend?"  he  continued.  "You  are  pale 
and  woe-begone :  you  have  seen  all  to-day,  I  doubt 
not.  But  come  !  you  are  ill,  Cecil !  Tell  me  whither 
you  go." 

In  a  few  words  I  told  him  of  the  confiscation  of  Cecil 
Court,  and  of  my  resolution  to  see  my  father  again 
before  I  left  England  forever. 

"Well,"  the  old  cavalier  said,  "nothing  is  easier, 
friend.  You  know  I  live  near  London,  and  my  stud 
is  not  yet  seized.  My  horses  are  famous  ones,  as  you 
know;  and  you  shall  take  your  choice.  Come!  my 
servant  will  give  you  his  cob,  and  make  the  journey 
home  on  foot.  Come,  friend  ! — we  poor  forlorn  cava 
liers  should  help  each  other." 

I  responded  by  a  warm  pressure  of  the  hand,  and 
was  soon  in  the  saddle.  Half  an  hour  afterwards  we 
had  left  London  by  a  by-way  where  there  was  no  sen 
tinel,  and  two  hours  later  reined  in  our  horses  in  front 
of  the  old  manor-house  of  Colonel  Cooke.  I  had 
visited  the  house  twice  before,  the  reader  will  remember, 
— first  to  bear  to  the  old  cavalier  the  queen's  note 
requesting  him  to  be  ready  with  his  horses  when  she 
thought  to  fly  with  her  children  to  France,  and  again 
to  make  arrangements  for  the  king's  escape  from 
Hampton  Court.  The  old  house  shone  now  in  a 
bright  moonlight,  which  lit  up,  too,  the  leafless  and 
spectral  trees ;  but  within,  in  the  great  fireplace  of  an 
apartment  hung  round  with  portraits,  roared  a  fire  of 
logs,  which  revived  our  chilled  limbs. 

My  host  proceeded  at  once  to  produce  flagons  and 
cold  meats.     The  food  and  rich  wine  warmed  me  and 
27* 


318  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

brought  back  my  energies.  Then,  lighting  a  pipe,  and 
puffing  clouds  of  smoke  from  beneath  his  gray  mus 
tache,  Colonel  Cooke  began  to  speak  of  the  terrible 
event  of  the  day  just  passed. 

I  have  no  space  to  repeat  our  conversation.  It 
extended  far  into  the  night.  All  over  England,  I 
think,  that  night,  poor  cavaliers  like  ourselves  were 
conferring  on  the  future  and  shedding  tears  over  the 
past. 

At  last  Colonel  Cooke  rose,  and  the  light  fell  full 
upon  his  tall  figure  and  his  brave  face,  with  its  gray 
mustache,  and  its  sparkling  eyes  yet  undimmed  by 
age. 

"You  must  be  weary,  friend,"  he  said  ;  "and  your 
bed  is  ready.  At  dawn  my  best  horse  will  be  saddled  : 
take  him ;  I  make  you  a  present  of  him.  God  bless 
and  prosper  you !  And  now  a  last  cup  !" 

He  filled  my  cup  and  his  own,  raised  his  above  his 
head,  and,  with  flashing  eyes,  exclaimed, — 

"  Confusion  to  Cromwell  and  his  gang,  and  God 
save  his  majesty  King  Charles  II.  !" 

With  a  close  pressure  of  the  hand,  we  parted,  and  I 
retired  to  rest. 

On  the  next  morning  by  sunrise  I  was  riding  at  a 
gallop  in  the  direction  of  Warwickshire. 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  319 

XIV. 
THE   HOUSE   BESIDE   THE   HIGHWAY. 

THE  animal  which  my  host  had  presented  me  with 
was  a  superb  hunter,  in  the  finest  condition.  He  plainly 
asked  nothing  better  than  to  be  permitted  to  go  at  top 
speed  ;  and  thus  league  after  league  fled  from  under 
his  feet,  every  moment  bore  me  nearer  and  nearer  to 
Cecil  Court. 

I  will  not  interrupt  my  narrative  to  speak  of  my 
thoughts  and  feelings,  or  to  paint  the  gloomy  picture 
of  rural  England  in  that  winter  of  1648.  'Twas  ter 
rible,  what  I  saw  as  I  went  on  my  rapid  journey.  War 
had  stamped  its  destroying  heel  on  the  lovely  land 
of  the  past,  and  a  curse  seemed  hovering  over  the 
once-smiling  fields.  I  shall  not  speak  further  of  my 
journey,  save  to  relate  one  singular  incident  which 
befell  me. 

I  was  proceeding  at  a  rapid  gait  in  the  direction  of 
Oxford,  when,  raising  my  eyes,  which  had  been  bent 
upon  the  ground,  I  saw,  beside  the  road  I  was  follow 
ing,  a  small  house  which  seemed  familiar  to  me.  A 
second  glance,  and  I  had  fully  recognized  it.  'Twas 
that  to  which  I  had  been  conducted  by  Gregory  Bran 
don  and  his  daughter,  and  where  I  had  held  the  inter 
view  with  the  sick  dwarf  Geoffrey  Hudson. 

As  I  drew  near,  I  saw  that  the  house  was  uninhabited ; 
but  in  front  of  the  door  stood  a  horse  covered  with 


320  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

foam,  apparently  from  a  rapid  journey.  Who  could 
have  thus  stopped,  I  asked  myself,  to  enter  this  de 
serted  house?  To  whom  could  this  animal,  covered 
with  foam-flakes,  belong?  I  determined  to  solve  the 
question  speedily,  dismounted,  and  entered  the  house. 
Before  me,  seated  on  a  broken  chair,  and  leaning  his 
head  upon  an  old  table,  I  saw  no  less  a  personage  than 
the  dwarf  Hudson. 

As  my  footsteps  resounded  on  the  creaking  floor,  he 
quickly  raised  his  head. 

"Ah,  'tis  you?"  he  said,  drearily.  "  At  first  I  thought 
'twas  a  ghost.  Whence  come  you,  sir?" 

"From  London.     And  you,  friend?" 

"From  London  also." 

"You  have  ridden  rapidly." 

"  I  set  out  at  midnight." 

"Then  you  saw  all?" 

"All." 

I  looked  at  the  strange  being,  who  had  answered  my 
questions  in  his  thin  voice  with  an  accent  of  sombre 
indifference.  The  dwarf  seemed  to  be  laboring  under 
the  crushing  weight  of  a  sentiment  which  resembled 
despair. 

"You  were  in  the  crowd  yonder?"  I  said,  at  a  loss 
how  to  continue  the  conversation. 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  in  the  same  dull  and  dreamy 
tone. 

"You  recognized him;  I  mean  the  headsman?" 

"Yes:  'twas  Gregory  Brandon." 

"And  his  assistant?" 

"  Hulet :  they  paid  him  a  hundred  pounds  to  assist 
at  the  execution." 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  321 

"  Hulet  !  is  it  possible?  The  man  in  the  gray 
beard  Hulet?" 

"Yes,  Hulet, — the  man  who  had  Brandon  dragged 
from  this  place  of  concealment, — who  persecuted  to 
the  death  the  woman  I  loved, — who  has  paid  at  last 
for  all,  and  will  plot  no  more." 

"Paid  for  all?" 

"  He  is  dead.' 

"Dead?" 

"  Killed-  in  a  drunken  brawl  in  a  low  tavern,  at 
nightfall  after  the  execution." 

I  remained  silent  at  this  strange  intelligence.  Then 
I  looked  again  at  the  dwarf. 

"You  say  that  Hulet  persecuted  to  the  death 

whom?" 

"Janet  Brandon,  of  whom  I  knew  as  Janet  Gregory 
here  !  He  was  crazy  about  her, — harassed  her  with 
his  importunities.  She  fell  ill,  and  that  wretch  stood 
beside  her  death-bed  and  taunted  her." 

The  dwarf  turned  pale  as  he  spoke,  and  uttered  a 
low  groan. 

"All  is  ended  for  me  in  life,"  he  added,  in  the 
same  low  dull  tone.  "  I  have  left  courts  forever,  and 
go  to  my  obscure  home  to  hide  my  misery.  You  were 
my  friend,  and  here  farewell !  We  shall  never  meet  on 
earth  again, — but  some  day — I  shall  see  her — yonder!" 

He  pointed  to  heaven,  went  out  of  the  deserted 
house,  mounted  his  horse,  and  disappeared. 

Such  was  my  last  meeting  with  this  singular  being, 
of  whom  I  never  afterwards  heard. 


322  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 


XV. 

HOME   AGAIN. 

I  RODE  on  towards  Cecil  Court,  lost  in  gloomy 
thought.  The  interview  with  the  dwarf,  who  had 
thus  informed  me  of  the  death  of  Janet  Brandon  and 
the  man  Hulet,  had  deepened  the  sombre  mood  which 
oppressed  me. 

But  something  still  more  tragic  awaited  me.  I 
should  probably  arrive  at  Cecil  Court  to  find  it  in 
possession  of  the  foe  of  my  family, — my  father  home 
less,  the  name  of  Cecil  replaced  by  that  of  Ireton  ! 
The  memory  of  my  poor  brother  Harry  came  to  add 
poignancy  to  these  gloomy  reflections.  Had  he  been 
spared,  we  might  have  borne  up  :  leaning  on  his  strong 
arm,  my  dear  father  might  have  gone  forth  again  into 
the  world.  I  was  left ;  but  I  was  nothing.  Oh,  if  my 
brave  strong  Harry  had  not  fallen  ! 

Haunted  by  these  sombre  thoughts,  I  continued  my 
way,  and  drew  near  Keynton.  Near  the  village  I  met 
an  acquaintance,  a  poor  man  of  the  place. 

"  Go  not  thither,  Master  Cecil,"  he  said :  "  there  be 
soldiers  of  the  godly  faction  there." 

"They  would  arrest  me,  then,  friend?" 

"Yes,  master.  See,  the  man  yonder  is  moving  this 
way." 

It  was  necessary  to  avoid  arrest  above  all  things ; 
and  I  turned  into  a  side-road. 


HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  323 

"A  last  word,  friend,"  I  said.     "My  father?" 
"The  squire  be  well,  master;  but  look  you  !" 
The  trooper  was  riding  towards   me;  and,  setting 
spur  to  my  horse,  I  followed  a  bridle-path  which  led 
straight  through  the  woods  towards  Cecil  Court. 

In  half  an  hour  I  emerged  from  the  wood,  and  the 
old  home  of  my  family  was  before  me.  Oh,  how 
my  heart  yearned  towards  it !  How  my  pulse  leaped 
at  sight  of  the  dearly-loved  roof!  I  put  spur  to  my 
horse,  went  at  full  speed  across  the  fields,  drew  near, 
passed  through  the  great  gate,  then,  galloping  up  the 
familiar  old  avenue,  I  threw  myself  from  the  saddle, 
and  approached  the  broad  door. 

As  I  did  so,  a  brilliant  gleam  from  between  two 
clouds  fell  upon  the  old  portico.  My  heel  clashed  on 
the  flags ;  I  heard  a  cry;  the  door  opened,  and  I  found 
myself  caught  in  the  arms  of  my  father, — and  of  Harry ! 


XVI. 

A   FRIEND    IN    NEED,  AND   INDEED. 

THERE  are  some  scenes,  reader,  which  the  most  elo 
quent  chronicler  shrinks  from  describing,  feeling  that 
words  have  not  yet  been  invented  adequate  to  convey 
his  emotion. 

My  brother  whom  I  thought  dead  was  thus  alive, 
and  I  clasped  him  in  my  arms !  The  dear  laughing 
face  was  there  again  before  me, — the  warm  hand  pressed 


324  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

my  own :  it  was  Harry, — Harry  !  and,  holding  him 
close  to  me,  I  laughed  and  cried  like  a  child. 

The  history  of  this  marvel  was  given  me  in  few 
words.  Harry  had  been  fearfully  but  not  mortally 
wounded  on  the  day  of  Naseby.  With  the  wounded 
of  both  sides,  he  had  been  conveyed  to  an  obscure  hos 
pital  in  London,  and  only  after  long  confinement  to 
his  bed  had  he  been  able  to  rise  again.  He  was  then 
conducted  to  prison  :  his  obscure  existence  was  unre 
corded.  At  last  his  prison-door  had  opened  ;  and  here 
he  was  again  at  home. 

"That's  the  whole,  Ned,"  he  laughed, — "except 
something  else.  Shall  I  tell  that  too  ?" 

"Speak,  Harry." 

"  No  ;  I'll  think  I'll  let  madam  tell  you  in  person." 

"Madam!" 

"  Certainly.  Do  you  remember  our  visit  to  my  lord 
Falkland's  house  '  Great  Tew'  ?" 

"Yes!  yes!" 

"  And  his  handsome  and  most  agreeable  niece 
Alice?" 

I  started,  gazing  at  him  with  wide  eyes. 

"  She  has  come  to  see  i/s,  now  !" 

And,  opening  an  inner  door,  Harry  called  out, 
laughing,— 

"Alice!" 

The  beautiful  girl  hastened  in,  bright-eyed,  laughing, 
and  holding  up  her  red  cheek. 

"Welcome,  brother  Edmund  !"  she  said. 

I  pressed  my  lips  to  the  red  cheek,  lost  in  a  maze  of 
wonder.  As  I  did  so,  I  felt  two  arms  around  my  neck, 
and  Cicely's  lips  close  pressed  to  my  own. 


HER  MAJES7^Y  THE    QUEEN.  325 

"  Oh,  brother  !  God  be  thanked !" 

The  child  began  to  cry  then,  and  only  held  me 
closer. 

"  My  little  Cicely  !"  I  exclaimed,  returning  her  em 
brace.  Then  I  added,  laughing, — 

"You  at  least  are  not  married?" 

Harry  burst  into  laughter. 

"  Ask  Frank  Villiers  there  if  she's  not !"  he  cried. 

I  turned,  feeling  as  though  I  were  in  a  dream.  Be 
fore  me  stood  young  Frank  Villiers,  with  his  chestnut 
curls,  blue  eyes,  and  joyous  smile,  enjoying  plainly  my 
astonishment,  my  dumb  stupor. 

"  Let  me  explain  all,  my  son,  in  a  very  few  words," 
said  my  father,  in  his  mild  sweet  voice.  "  Harry  and 
Cicely  have  just  been  married,  and  are  about  to  leave 
me.  They  go  beyond  seas  until  the  troubles  of  Eng 
land  have  blown  over.  God  has  mercifully  returned 
my  dear  Harry  to  me  back  from  the  grave,  and  now 
sends  you  too  to  add  to  the  joy  of  my  old  heart !" 

My  father  had  scarce  uttered  these  words,  when  hoof- 
strokes  clattered  up  the  avenue. 

"  Who  comes  so  fast?"  he  said,  going  to  the  door, 
and  opening  it. 

A  moment  afterwards  I  saw  rush  in  the  figure  of 
young  Jervas  Ireton.  He  was  covered  with  dust,  and 
held  a  paper  in  his  hand. 

"Make  haste,  Mr.  Harry,  and  Mr.  Ned,  and  all!" 
he  exclaimed.  "They  are  coming  to  arrest  you! — 
from  Keynton  ! — the  troopers!" 

"To  arrest  us?"  I  said,  coldly.  "Doubtless  'tis 
your  good  father,  sir." 

"Father?  Why,  he's  dead!"  exclaimed  the  young 
28 


326  HER   MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

hopeful,  without  any  exhibition  of  feeling.  "  Died  of 
the  quinsy, — furious  because  I'd  married  the  game 
keeper's  daughter !  Her  name  was  Cicely, — she's  a 
beauty  !  But  hurry,  Mr.  Ned  and  Harry  !  I'm  your 
friend ;  not  one  of  the  godly.  I  have  no  opinions  of 
any  consequence  !  Order  your  coach,  quick,  and  horses 
too,  and  get  to  Charlecote  with  the  ladies !  Stay  !  the 
troopers  are  coming.  See,  yonder  on  the  hill !" 

A  glance  indicated  that  the  warning  was  judicious. 
On  the  summit  of  a  hill  about  half  a  mile  from  the 
house  was  seen  a  party  of  troopers  approaching  at  a 
round  trot. 

"  I'll  see  to  the  coach  without  a  moment's  delay  !" 
Harry  exclaimed ;  "and  you,  young  ladies,  gather  up 
your  jewels  and  laces  and  be  ready  !  Ned,  you  and  I 
will  go  on  horseback.  Your  horse  will  await  you  in 
the  shrubbery  near  the  coach." 

Cicely  and  the  fair  Alice  were  hastening  out,  when 
young  Ireton  caught  the  hand  of  the  former. 

"  Do  you  remember  old  times,  Cicely?" 

"Yes, — oh,  thank  you,  Jervas;  but  don't  keep  me." 

"You  are  going  away  now,  and  I  won't  see  you 
again,  Cicely." 

"Good-by,  Jervas." 

"One  moment,  Cicely.  I  am  not  of  much  conse 
quence;  but  I'm  not  a  bad  fellow,  and  I  will  try  to 
show  you  that." 

He  unfolded  the  paper  in  his  hand. 

"I  loved  you,  Cicely,"  he  went  on,  "and  mar 
ried  the  gamekeeper's  daughter  because  she's  named 
Cicely  too  !  I  love  you  still,  and  Mr.  Ned,  and  Harry, 
and  Mr.  Cecil,  and  all  of  you.  My  father's  dead,  and 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  327 

I'm  the  master,  and  this  deed  is  mine.  It  is  the  deed 
to  my  father  for  Cecil  Court,  which  they  confiscated. 
Here,  Cicely  !  that  is  my  wedding-present.  Now  give 
me  a  kiss  ! ' ' 

He  tore  the  deed  in  pieces,  and  presented  it  to  her. 

"  Good,  good  Jervas  !  You  are  a  true  friend  !  Oh, 
thank  you  !  you  shall  have  a  good  kiss,  indeed  !" 

And  Cicely  held  up  her  lips  quickly ;  the  youth  be 
stowed  a  resounding  salute  thereon :  a  moment  after 
wards,  Cicely  had  disappeared,  and  the  troopers  were 
seen  rapidly  approaching. 

"Go,  my  son,"  said  my  father.  "I  have  seen  you, 
and  you  must  not  run  the  risk  of  prison  !  God  be 
thanked,  my  old  eyes  have  looked  again  upon  my  chil 
dren  !  Embrace  me  !  God  bless  you !" 

I  threw  myself  into  my  father's  arms,  shook  hands 
with  Jervas,  and  ran  to  my  horse,  which  stood  in  the 
shrubbery. 

As  the  troopers  thundered  up  to  the  door,  the  coach 
containing  Cicely,  Alice,  and  Frank  Villiers  disap 
peared  in  the  wood  behind  the  house. 

Harry  and  I  followed  on  horseback ;  and  we  gained 
Charlecote  in  safety. 

On  the  next  morning  the  coach  with  its  gentlemen 
outriders  set  out  for  the  coast.  Fortune  served  us.  We 
obtained  passage  on  a  vessel  bound  for  Holland. 

Three  days  afterwards  our  feet  pressed  the  soil  of 
the  continent.  We  were  beyond  the  reach  of  all  our 
enemies. 


328  HER  MAJESTY   THE    QUEEN. 


XVII. 
VIRGINIA. 

A  FEW  pages  more  will  terminate  my  memoirs. 

I  found  her  majesty  the  queen  at  the  chateau  of  the 
Duchess  de  Montmorenci,  in  a  hall  hung  with  black 
ever  since  the  execution  of  the  great  duke  by  Riche 
lieu.  And  here  in  this  funereal  mansion  the  illustrious 
widows  mingled  their  tears. 

The  queen  scarce  shed  any  when  I  gave  her  the 
king's  letter  and  last  message.  A  dumb  despair  seemed 
to  have  dried  up  the  fount  of  her  tears ;  and  when  I 
had  finished  my  tragic  narrative  she  simply  dropped 
her  head,  fixing  her  eyes  steadily  upon  the  floor,  and, 
seeing  that  she  had  forgotten  my  presence,  I  silently 
went  out  of  the  apartment,  leaving  the  august  mourner 
to  herself. 

Frances  Villiers  had  remained  with  her,  and  now 
received  me  and  soothed  me.  Need  I  relate  what 
followed  ?  The  sole  obstacle  to  our  union  had  been 
the  promise  made  to  Harry.  He  was  not  dead  now, 
but  alive,  and  certainly  would  never  more  prove  my 
rival.  Thus  I  came  to  Frances,  and  took  her  hand 
and  pressed  it  to  my  lips.  An  hour  afterwards  she  had 
promised  me ;  and  in  a  month  she  was  my  wife, — the 
dearest  and  best  wife  man  ever  had. 

Thus,  friendly  reader,  whether  of  my  own  blood  or 


HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN.  329 

other,  I  have  come  to  the  end  of  my  story.  Would 
you  have  a  few  words  more,  and  know  how  my  life 
passed  afterwards?  The  record  will  fill  but  a  page, 
and  I  lay  it  before  you.  I  remained  on  the  continent, 
attached  to  the  French  court,  until  the  summer  of 
1650,  when  I  went  with  his  majesty  Charles  II.  on 
that  ill-fated  expedition  that  terminated  at  Worcester. 
I  shared  his  perils  and  adventures  thereafter,  and  may 
some  day  relate  them.  Now  I  will  record  only  the 
fact  that  I.  escaped  in  safety  and  rejoined  my  wife  in 
Paris. 

The  year  afterwards  I  wa,s  in  Virginia,  and  was  build 
ing  my  house  here  on  York  River.  Some  old  cavalier 
friends  had  preceded  me,  and  told  marvels  of  the 
country, — of  the  cheap  and  fertile  lands,  the  stately 
rivers,  and  the  charming  climate.  I  therefore  col 
lected  my  resources,  set  sail  from  France,  established 
myself  on  the  great  York,  and  have  never  revisited 
England. 

The  Cecils  flourish  there  still, — Harry  being  the 
head  of  the  house.  My  dear  father  is  long  since  dead, 
— God  rest  him,  and  bless  his  memory  !  And  Harry,  the 
owner  of  Cecil  Court,  writes  me  at  length  by  every 
sailing-vessel,  filling  his  sheet  with  laughing  comments 
on  affairs  around  him,  and  memories  of  old  times. 

Just  across  the  York  resides  Frank  Villiers  with  his 
wife  Cicely, — a  well-to-do  planter,  surrounded  by  rosy- 
faced  children.  He  and  my  dear  friend  Mr.  Page  of 
"Rosewell"  are  here  constantly.  And  my  old  age 
thus  passes  serenely  in  the  midst  of  my  family  and 
friends,  beneath  the  sunshine  of  one  of  the  most  beauti 
ful  of  all  lands. 

28* 


330  HER  MAJESTY  THE    QUEEN. 

For  all  I  am  grateful, — chiefest  of  all  for  my  dear 
wife  and  my  happy  children.  God  made  the  first  portion 
of  my  existence  stormy ;  he  has  mercifully  sent  the 
sunshine  to  bathe  with  its  mild  splendor  my  old  age. 
I  thank  him  humbly,  and  strive  to  love  my  fellow- 
creatures  as  I  should.  Old  enmities  have  long  since 
disappeared  from  my  heart.  The  smiles  of  my  dear 
Frances  and  my  little  ones  shine  brightly.  And  that 
cheerful  sunshine  lights  up  my  life,  blotting  out  all  the 
sad  memories  of  the  past. 


THE   END. 


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UNIVERSITY  o*  CALIFOiUMk 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 
LIBRARY 


either  of  these  tales.  ' — IndianapoH\ 
Sentinel. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


FEB  9-  1953 


Form  L9 — 15 m-10,'48  ( B1039 ) 444 


1382  Her  majesty  the 
queen* 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


A    001  375  938 


FEB  9-  1953 


